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white beardtongue, white penstemon

cordroot beardtongue, mountain beardtongue, mountain penstemon

Habit Herbs or subshrubs, sometimes cespitose.
Stems

ascending to erect, (10–)15–50(–55) cm, retrorsely hairy proximally, glandular-pubescent distally.

ascending to erect, 6–30 cm, pubescent, sometimes retrorsely hairy proximally and glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrate or puberulent to scabrous;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, 20–85(–110) × (4–)7–18(–20) mm, blade oblanceolate or obovate to lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire to obscurely or distinctly serrate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–5(or 6) pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 25–65 × (3–)7–19(–21) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins entire or serrate to dentate, apex acute.

deciduous, 4–7 pairs, distals seldom distinctly smaller than proximals, short-petiolate or sessile, 9–35(–56) × 7–17(–28) mm, blade obovate to oblanceolate, ovate, lanceolate, or elliptic, base tapered, cuneate, or cordate-clasping, margins entire, subentire, serrate, or dentate, apex obtuse to acute, glabrous, puberulent, or puberulent and glandular-pubescent, glaucous or not.

Thyrses

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, 4–24(–30) cm, axis densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (2 or)3–10, cymes 2–7-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 17–65 × 3–17 mm;

peduncles and pedicels densely glandular-pubescent.

continuous, secund, 1–7 cm, axis sparsely to moderately glandular-pubescent, sometimes also pubescent proximally, verticillasters 1–5, cymes 1-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 6–28 × 3–22 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–7 × 1.5–3 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla white, rarely tinged pink or lavender, with red or reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform, (12–)16–20 mm, glandular-pubescent internally, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, (4–)6–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 0.7–1.1 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures smooth;

staminode 8–9 mm, included, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 3–6 mm sparsely to moderately villous, hairs yellowish, to 1 mm;

style 9–11(–13) mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate to linear, 8–15 × 1.8–3.5 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender, blue, or violet, unlined internally or lined with faint lavender or blue nectar guides abaxially, not personate, funnelform, 26–33(–39) mm, glabrous externally, moderately to densely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 7–9 mm, throat 8–10 mm diam.;

stamens included, pollen sacs 1.1–1.6 mm;

staminode 11–15 mm, slightly flattened distally, 0.1–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, glabrous or distal 3–6 mm pubescent, hairs white, to 1.4 mm;

style 25–30 mm.

Capsules

8–12 × 4–7 mm.

10–14 × 5–7 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon albidus

Penstemon montanus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul(–Sep).
Habitat Silty or gravelly soils, mixed-grass and shortgrass prairies.
Elevation 300–1800 m. (1000–5900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; IA; KS; MN; MT; ND; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY; AB; MB; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon albidus is remarkably uniform throughout its range. It probably is introduced in Ontario.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon montanus is known from the Central and Northern Rocky mountains.

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

Key
1. Leaf blades puberulent and glandular-pubescent, not glaucous, blade margins serrate to dentate.
var. montanus
1. Leaf blades glabrous or puberulent, usually glaucous, blade margins entire or subentire.
var. idahoensis
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 128. FNA vol. 17, p. 90.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Cristati Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Dasanthera > sect. Erianthera
Sibling taxa
P. abietinus, P. absarokensis, P. acaulis, P. acuminatus, P. alamosensis, P. albertinus, 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. 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. montanus var. idahoensis, P. montanus var. montanus
Name authority Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 2: 53. (1818) — (as Pentstemon albidum) Greene: Pittonia 2: 240. (1892) — (as Pentstemon)
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