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bush penstemon, gilia beardtongue, pink plains penstemon

Berry's penstemon, mountain pride, Newberry's beardtongue

Habit Subshrubs, cespitose.
Stems

(20–)30–40(–60) cm, glabrous or scabrous proximally.

ascending to erect, (5–)10–32 cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

Leaves

(7–)10–25 pairs, (3–)5–30(–40) × 0.5–1(–2.5) mm, blade base tapered, margins glabrous or scabrous, apex acuminate to mucronate.

persistent, 4–9 pairs, distals distinctly to slightly smaller than proximals, short-petiolate or sessile, (5–)9–42 × 4–14(–18) mm, blade elliptic to obovate, base tapered, cuneate, or cordate-clasping, margins ± serrulate or serrulate-denticulate to serrate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute, glabrous, glaucous.

Thyrses

6–15 cm, verticillasters 6–10, cymes 1–3-flowered;

proximal bracts linear, 6–27(–33) × 0.3–1.5 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous or scabrous.

continuous, ± secund, 2–20 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–12, cymes 1-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 4–11(–20) × 2–8(–15) mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending, glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, 1.5–3.5 × 1–1.5 mm;

corolla pink (limb milky pink or milky white), lined internally abaxially with reddish purple nectar guides, salverform, (14–)16–22(–28) mm, glandular-pubescent internally in 2 lines on abaxial surface, tube 3–4 mm, throat 3–5 mm diam.;

stamens included, pollen sacs 0.5–0.6 mm;

staminode 7–9 mm;

style 8–10 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 6–10 × 2–2.5 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla pink, red, scarlet, lavender, or purple, essentially unlined internally but abaxial ridges sometimes pink to whitish, not personate, funnelform, 22–35 mm, glabrous externally, moderately to densely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 6–9 mm, throat 5–12 mm diam.;

stamens included or longer pair exserted, pollen sacs 0.8–1.7 mm;

staminode 8–14 mm, slightly flattened distally, 0.1–0.3 mm diam., tip straight, distal 2–8 mm pubescent to lanate, hairs white or yellowish, to 1 mm;

style 20–24 mm.

Capsules

6–9 × 3–5 mm.

(8–)10–13 × (4–)5–8 mm.

Penstemon ambiguus

Penstemon newberryi

Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; KS; NE; NM; NV; OK; TX; UT; n Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

G. T. Nisbet and R. C. Jackson (1960) reported natural hybrids between Penstemon ambiguus and P. thurberi from Lincoln and Socorro counties, New Mexico.

Some Native American tribes used Penstemon ambiguus as a drug or ceremonial plant (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon newberryi is known from the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges of California, Nevada, and Oregon.

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

Key
1. Stems scabrous proximally; leaf blade margins scabrous.
var. ambiguus
1. Stems glabrous; leaf blade margins glabrous or scabrous.
var. laevissimus
1. Corollas pink to lavender or purple, 27–35 mm; stamens included, pollen sacs 1.2–1.7 mm.
var. berryi
1. Corollas red, scarlet, or purple, 22–30 mm; stamens: longer pair exserted, pollen sacs 0.8–1.3 mm.
→ 2
2. Corollas red to scarlet; distal leaves distinctly smaller than proximals.
var. newberryi
2. Corollas purple; distal leaves slightly smaller than proximals.
var. sonomensis
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 95. FNA vol. 17, p. 90.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Ambigui Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Dasanthera > sect. Erianthera
Sibling taxa
P. abietinus, P. absarokensis, P. acaulis, P. acuminatus, P. alamosensis, P. albertinus, P. albidus, P. albomarginatus, 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. 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. ambiguus var. ambiguus, P. ambiguus var. laevissimus
P. newberryi var. berryi, P. newberryi var. newberryi, P. newberryi var. sonomensis
Name authority Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 2: 228. (1827) — (as Pentstemon ambiguum) A. Gray: in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 6(3): 82, plate 14. (1858) — (as Pentstemon)
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