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sand dune penstemon, sand-dune beardtongue, sharp-leaf penstemon

Cardwell's beardtongue, Cardwell's penstemon

Habit Shrubs, sometimes cespitose.
Stems

ascending to erect, (9–)20–60 cm, glabrous or ± scabrous, especially distally.

ascending to erect, 10–27 cm, retrorsely hairy or puberulent, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, glabrous, sometimes scabrous;

basal and proximal cauline (14–)30–95 × 4–15(–24) mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, apex obtuse to acute or mucronate;

cauline (2 or)3–6(or 7) pairs, sessile, 18–60(–85) × (4–)8–28 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to cordate-clasping, apex acute to acuminate.

persistent, 6–9 pairs, distals usually distinctly smaller than proximals, short-petiolate or sessile, 15–55 × 4–16 mm, blade elliptic, base tapered, margins subentire or serrate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute, glabrous, ± glaucous.

Thyrses

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, 6–25(–30) cm, axis glabrous, rarely scabrous or glutinous, verticillasters (5–)7–15, cymes (2–)4–8(–12)-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 14–60 × 9–30 mm, margins entire, apex obtuse to acuminate or caudate;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous or scabrous, sometimes also glutinous, peduncles to 4 mm.

± interrupted, secund, 5–14 cm, axis retrorsely hairy proximally, retrorsely hairy and glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters 3–7, cymes 1-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 6–18 × 3–12 mm, margins serrate, sometimes entire;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent, sometimes also puberulent.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, (3.2–)4.5–10 × 1.2–3.2(–3.8) mm, margins entire or erose, herbaceous or narrowly scarious, glabrous or scabrous proximally and, sometimes, along margins, sometimes also glutinous;

corolla blue to violet or purple, with reddish purple nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 11–20 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 5–9 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice to slightly exserted, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.7–1.3(–1.5) mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 6–12 mm, reaching orifice, 0.6–1 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 1.5–3.5 mm densely pilose, hairs golden yellow, to 0.6 mm, hairs on proximal part of staminode mostly along margins;

style 8–15 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 8–14 × 2–3.1 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla purple to violet, essentially unlined internally but abaxial ridges usually light purple or white, not personate, funnelform, (25–)30–38 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 6–8 mm, throat 9–10 mm diam.;

stamens included, pollen sacs 1.5–1.7 mm;

staminode 11–13 mm, essentially terete distally, 0.1 mm diam., tip straight, distal 4–6 mm moderately to densely villous, hairs white or yellowish, to 1.5 mm;

style 25–29 mm.

Capsules

7–13 × 4–7 mm.

8–11 × 4–6 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon acuminatus

Penstemon cardwellii

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Rock outcrops, pumice and talus slopes, forest clearings, roadcuts.
Elevation 400–1900 m. (1300–6200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon acuminatus includes the northern var. acuminatus, which has denser thyrses than the southern var. latebracteatus. Herbage of var. acuminatus is usually scabrous; herbage of var. latebracteatus is rarely scabrous.

The Blackfoot tribe of the Central Rocky Mountains use Penstemon acuminatus as an analgesic, antiemetic, and gastrointestinal aid (D. E. Moerman 1998).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Penstemon cardwellii occurs primarily on the west slope of the Cascade Range from southwestern Oregon to northwestern Washington, with isolated populations east of the crest.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Styles 11–15 mm; corollas 14–20 mm; pollen sacs 0.8–1.3(–1.5) mm; calyx lobes 5–10 mm.
var. acuminatus
1. Styles 8–11 mm; corollas 11–15 mm; pollen sacs 0.7–1 mm; calyx lobes (3.2–)4.5–7 mm.
var. latebracteatus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 113. FNA vol. 17, p. 86.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Dasanthera > sect. Erianthera
Sibling taxa
P. abietinus, P. absarokensis, P. acaulis, P. alamosensis, P. albertinus, P. albidus, P. albomarginatus, P. ambiguus, P. ammophilus, P. anguineus, P. angustifolius, P. arenarius, P. arenicola, P. aridus, P. arkansanus, P. attenuatus, P. atwoodii, P. auriberbis, P. australis, P. azureus, P. baccharifolius, P. barbatus, P. barnebyi, P. barrettiae, P. bicolor, P. bleaklyi, P. bracteatus, P. breviculus, P. brevisepalus, P. buckleyi, P. caesius, P. caespitosus, P. calcareus, P. californicus, P. calycosus, P. canescens, P. cardinalis, P. cardwellii, P. carnosus, P. caryi, P. centranthifolius, P. cinicola, P. clevelandii, P. clutei, P. cobaea, P. comarrhenus, P. compactus, P. concinnus, P. confertus, P. confusus, P. crandallii, P. cusickii, P. cyananthus, P. cyaneus, P. cyanocaulis, P. cyathophorus, P. dasyphyllus, P. davidsonii, P. deamii, P. deaveri, P. debilis, P. degeneri, P. deustus, P. digitalis, P. diphyllus, P. discolor, P. dissectus, P. distans, P. dolius, P. duchesnensis, P. eatonii, P. elegantulus, P. ellipticus, P. eriantherus, P. euglaucus, P. fendleri, P. filiformis, P. flavescens, P. floribundus, P. floridus, P. flowersii, P. franklinii, P. fremontii, P. fruticiformis, P. fruticosus, P. gairdneri, P. gibbensii, P. glaber, P. glandulosus, P. glaucinus, P. globosus, P. goodrichii, P. gormanii, P. gracilentus, P. gracilis, P. grahamii, P. grandiflorus, P. griffinii, P. grinnellii, P. guadalupensis, P. hallii, P. harbourii, P. harringtonii, P. havardii, P. haydenii, P. heterodoxus, P. heterophyllus, P. hirsutus, P. humilis, P. idahoensis, P. immanifestus, P. incertus, P. inflatus, P. jamesii, P. janishiae, P. kingii, P. kralii, P. labrosus, P. laetus, P. laevigatus, P. laevis, P. lanceolatus, P. laricifolius, P. laxiflorus, P. laxus, P. leiophyllus, P. lemhiensis, P. lentus, P. leonardii, P. linarioides, P. longiflorus, P. lyallii, P. marcusii, P. mensarum, P. metcalfei, P. miser, P. moffatii, P. monoensis, P. montanus, P. moriahensis, P. mucronatus, P. multiflorus, P. murrayanus, P. nanus, P. navajoa, P. neomexicanus, P. neotericus, P. newberryi, P. nitidus, P. nudiflorus, P. oklahomensis, P. oliganthus, P. ophianthus, P. osterhoutii, P. ovatus, P. pachyphyllus, P. pahutensis, P. pallidus, P. palmeri, P. papillatus, P. parryi, P. parvulus, P. parvus, P. patens, P. payettensis, P. paysoniorum, P. peckii, P. penlandii, P. pennellianus, P. perpulcher, P. personatus, P. petiolatus, P. pinifolius, P. pinorum, P. platyphyllus, P. pratensis, P. procerus, P. pruinosus, P. pseudoputus, P. pseudospectabilis, P. pudicus, P. pumilus, P. purpusii, P. putus, P. radicosus, P. rattanii, P. retrorsus, P. rhizomatosus, P. richardsonii, P. roezlii, P. rostriflorus, P. rubicundus, P. rupicola, P. rydbergii, P. saxosorum, P. scapoides, P. scariosus, P. secundiflorus, P. seorsus, P. sepalulus, P. serrulatus, P. smallii, P. spatulatus, P. speciosus, P. spectabilis, P. stenophyllus, P. stephensii, P. strictiformis, P. strictus, P. subglaber, P. subserratus, P. subulatus, P. sudans, P. superbus, P. tenuiflorus, P. tenuis, P. teucrioides, P. thompsoniae, P. thurberi, P. tidestromii, P. tiehmii, P. tracyi, P. triflorus, P. triphyllus, P. tubaeflorus, P. uintahensis, P. utahensis, P. venustus, P. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, P. washingtonensis, P. watsonii, P. whippleanus, P. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
P. abietinus, P. absarokensis, P. acaulis, P. acuminatus, P. alamosensis, P. albertinus, P. albidus, P. albomarginatus, P. ambiguus, P. ammophilus, P. anguineus, P. angustifolius, P. arenarius, P. arenicola, P. aridus, P. arkansanus, P. attenuatus, P. atwoodii, P. auriberbis, P. australis, P. azureus, P. baccharifolius, P. barbatus, P. barnebyi, P. barrettiae, P. bicolor, P. bleaklyi, P. bracteatus, P. breviculus, P. brevisepalus, P. buckleyi, P. caesius, P. caespitosus, P. calcareus, P. californicus, P. calycosus, P. canescens, P. cardinalis, P. carnosus, P. caryi, P. centranthifolius, P. cinicola, P. clevelandii, P. clutei, P. cobaea, P. comarrhenus, P. compactus, P. concinnus, P. confertus, P. confusus, P. crandallii, P. cusickii, P. cyananthus, P. cyaneus, P. cyanocaulis, P. cyathophorus, P. dasyphyllus, P. davidsonii, P. deamii, P. deaveri, P. debilis, P. degeneri, P. deustus, P. digitalis, P. diphyllus, P. discolor, P. dissectus, P. distans, P. dolius, P. duchesnensis, P. eatonii, P. elegantulus, P. ellipticus, P. eriantherus, P. euglaucus, P. fendleri, P. filiformis, P. flavescens, P. floribundus, P. floridus, P. flowersii, P. franklinii, P. fremontii, P. fruticiformis, P. fruticosus, P. gairdneri, P. gibbensii, P. glaber, P. glandulosus, P. glaucinus, P. globosus, P. goodrichii, P. gormanii, P. gracilentus, P. gracilis, P. grahamii, P. grandiflorus, P. griffinii, P. grinnellii, P. guadalupensis, P. hallii, P. harbourii, P. harringtonii, P. havardii, P. haydenii, P. heterodoxus, P. heterophyllus, P. hirsutus, P. humilis, P. idahoensis, P. immanifestus, P. incertus, P. inflatus, P. jamesii, P. janishiae, P. kingii, P. kralii, P. labrosus, P. laetus, P. laevigatus, P. laevis, P. lanceolatus, P. laricifolius, P. laxiflorus, P. laxus, P. leiophyllus, P. lemhiensis, P. lentus, P. leonardii, P. linarioides, P. longiflorus, P. lyallii, P. marcusii, P. mensarum, P. metcalfei, P. miser, P. moffatii, P. monoensis, P. montanus, P. moriahensis, P. mucronatus, P. multiflorus, P. murrayanus, P. nanus, P. navajoa, P. neomexicanus, P. neotericus, P. newberryi, P. nitidus, P. nudiflorus, P. oklahomensis, P. oliganthus, P. ophianthus, P. osterhoutii, P. ovatus, P. pachyphyllus, P. pahutensis, P. pallidus, P. palmeri, P. papillatus, P. parryi, P. parvulus, P. parvus, P. patens, P. payettensis, P. paysoniorum, P. peckii, P. penlandii, P. pennellianus, P. perpulcher, P. personatus, P. petiolatus, P. pinifolius, P. pinorum, P. platyphyllus, P. pratensis, P. procerus, P. pruinosus, P. pseudoputus, P. pseudospectabilis, P. pudicus, P. pumilus, P. purpusii, P. putus, P. radicosus, P. rattanii, P. retrorsus, P. rhizomatosus, P. richardsonii, P. roezlii, P. rostriflorus, P. rubicundus, P. rupicola, P. rydbergii, P. saxosorum, P. scapoides, P. scariosus, P. secundiflorus, P. seorsus, P. sepalulus, P. serrulatus, P. smallii, P. spatulatus, P. speciosus, P. spectabilis, P. stenophyllus, P. stephensii, P. strictiformis, P. strictus, P. subglaber, P. subserratus, P. subulatus, P. sudans, P. superbus, P. tenuiflorus, P. tenuis, P. teucrioides, P. thompsoniae, P. thurberi, P. tidestromii, P. tiehmii, P. tracyi, P. triflorus, P. triphyllus, P. tubaeflorus, P. uintahensis, P. utahensis, P. venustus, P. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, P. washingtonensis, P. watsonii, P. whippleanus, P. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Subordinate taxa
P. acuminatus var. acuminatus, P. acuminatus var. latebracteatus
Name authority Douglas ex Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 15: plate 1285. (1829) — (as Pentstemon acuminatum) Howell: Fl. N.W. Amer., 510. (1901) — (as Pentstemon)
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