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Alberta beardtongue, Alberta penstemon

Canaan Mountain beardtongue, sandloving penstemon

Habit Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, (10–)15–38 cm, glabrous or sparsely retrorsely hairy, sometimes also sparsely glandular-pubescent.

decumbent to ascending, 5–26 cm, usually ± fistulose, glutinous and covered with sand, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, ± leathery or not, glabrous, sometimes sparsely retrorsely hairy along midvein abaxially, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline (13–)40–90 × (3–)6–18 mm, blade ovate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered, margins ± serrate or dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–6 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 15–55 × 3–10 mm, blade lanceolate, proximals sometimes oblanceolate to oblong, base tapered or truncate, margins entire or ± serrate to ± dentate, apex obtuse to acute.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glutinous and covered with sand, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 18–80 × 4–15 mm, blade oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, crisped, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–5 pairs, sessile, 15–75 × 2–8 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate, base tapered to truncate, margins crisped, apex rounded or obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

continuous or ± interrupted, cylindric, 4–19 cm, axis glabrous or ± glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–8, cymes (1 or)2–6-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 9–40 × 3–15 mm, margins entire or ± serrate to dentate;

peduncles and pedicels erect, sometimes ascending, glandular-pubescent.

continuous, cylindric, 4–15 cm, axis glutinous and covered with sand, verticillasters 4–10, cymes 1–6-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 14–45 × 2–5(–8) mm;

peduncles and pedicels glutinous and covered with sand.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, 2.8–4.8 × 0.9–1.8 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to light blue or violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform, 13–20 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 4–5 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4–5 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, subexplanate to explanate, 0.5–0.8 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or papillate;

staminode 8–9 mm, included, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 0.5–2 mm ± pilose, hairs golden yellow, to 0.8 mm;

style 9–11 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 5–6.5 × 1–2 mm, glutinous and covered with sand;

corolla lavender to blue-lavender, with violet nectar guides, weakly ventricose, 14–17 mm, glabrous externally, usually glutinous and covered with sand distally, especially on lobes, glabrous internally, tube 5–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 5–6 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.9–1.4 mm, dehiscing completely or incompletely, connective splitting or not, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode: 8–9 mm, included, 0.3–0.5 mm diam., tip straight, distal 4–5 mm sparsely papillate, papillae violet, to 0.2 mm;

style 10–12 mm.

Capsules

4–6 × 3–4 mm, glabrous.

3.5–6.5 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon albertinus

Penstemon ammophilus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Gravelly slopes, cliffs, rocky clearings, roadcuts in coniferous forests. Sand dunes, ponderosa pine forests, mixed shrublands.
Elevation 800–2800 m. (2600–9200 ft.) 1800–2200 m. (5900–7200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon caelestinus has been treated as a synonym of P. albertinus (D. D. Keck 1945; A. Cronquist 1959). D. V. Clark (1971) grew these and related species in transplant gardens and considered P. caelestinus to be distinct based on flower color, leaf shape and color, phenology, and habitat. A broad zone of hybridization between P. albertinus and P. wilcoxii exists in east-central Idaho and western Montana, especially in habitats disturbed by humans (Clark).

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

Penstemon ammophilus is known from Garfield, Kane, and Washington counties. Populations occur on aeolian sand, derived from the Navajo Sandstone. The fistulose stems of P. ammophilus are unique in Penstemon.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 190. FNA vol. 17, p. 161.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri
Sibling taxa
P. abietinus, P. absarokensis, P. acaulis, P. acuminatus, P. alamosensis, 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. 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
Synonyms P. caelestinus
Name authority Greene: Leafl. Bot. Observ. Crit. 1: 167. (1906) — (as Pentstemon) N. H. Holmgren & L. M. Shultz: Brittonia 34: 381, fig. 1. (1982)
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