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Alberta beardtongue, Alberta penstemon

showy beardtongue, showy penstemon

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Stems

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

erect, (50–)80–120 cm, glaucous or not.

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 proximal cauline 40–100 × 8–50 mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, margins coarsely dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 5–8 pairs, sessile, 32–120 × 10–45 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base sessile, proximals usually auriculate-clasping, distal ones usually cordate-clasping, margins dentate to serrate, apex acute to acuminate.

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.

interrupted, cylindric, 20–80 cm, axis glabrous or glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters 9–16, cymes (1–)3–8(–13)-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 15–35 × 4–25 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, glabrous or glandular-pubescent.

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 round to ovate or lanceolate, 3.5–5.5 × 2.5–3.2 mm, glabrous or glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender, blue, pink, or purple, with reddish purple nectar guides, strongly bilabiate, ventricose-ampliate, 24–34 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous or sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, glandular-pubescent adaxially, tube 7–9 mm, length 1.6–2 times calyx lobes, throat abruptly inflated, not constricted at orifice, 8–14 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, filaments of shorter pair glandular-puberulent proximally, pollen sacs navicular, 1.8–2.4 mm, sutures papillate or denticulate, papillae or teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 15–16 mm, included, 0.5–0.9 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous distally or distal 1–2 mm sparsely pilose, hairs yellow, to 0.5 mm [5–6 mm moderately pilose, hairs yellow, to 1.5 mm], proximal 1–2 mm glandular-pubescent;

style 15–19 mm, glabrous.

Capsules

4–6 × 3–4 mm, glabrous.

9–14 × 6–8 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon albertinus

Penstemon spectabilis

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Gravelly slopes, cliffs, rocky clearings, roadcuts in coniferous forests.
Elevation 800–2800 m. (2600–9200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Varieties 3 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon spectabilis consists of three partially sympatric varieties: var. spectabilis in southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico; var. subinteger (D. D. Keck) C. C. Freeman known only from the area of El Rosario in Baja California; and var. subviscosus in southern California. Penstemon ×bryantiae D. D. Keck, a hybrid between P. palmeri and P. spectabilis, was described based on plants that volunteered in the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in 1935 (D. D. Keck 1937b). Penstemon ×parishii A. Gray is a hybrid between P. centranthifolius and P. spectabilis reported from Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, California (Keck; Paul Wilson and M. Valenzuela 2002).

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

Key
1. Pedicels and calyx lobes glabrous.
var. spectabilis
1. Pedicels and calyx lobes glandular-pubescent.
var. subviscosus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 190. FNA vol. 17, p. 254.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Spectabiles
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. 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. 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. spectabilis var. spectabilis, P. spectabilis var. subviscosus
Synonyms P. caelestinus
Name authority Greene: Leafl. Bot. Observ. Crit. 1: 167. (1906) — (as Pentstemon) Thurber ex A. Gray: in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 119. (1857) — (as Pentstemon)
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