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stiff-leaf beardtongue, stiffleaf penstemon

cardinal beardtongue, scarlet beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 6–20(–25) cm, retrorsely hairy proximally, glabrous or retrorsely hairy distally, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 32–100 cm, glabrous, slightly glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or ± puberulent;

basal and proximal cauline 15–65 × 1–5(–7) mm, blade narrowly oblanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–5 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 7–33 × 1–3 mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base sessile to clasping, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

glabrous, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 40–80(–150) × 14–40(–60) mm, blade spatulate to obovate, oblanceolate, or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse;

cauline 3–7 pairs, sessile, (11–)20–135 × 9–50 mm, blade spatulate to elliptic, ovate, or subcordate, base truncate to broadly cordate-clasping, apex rounded to acute or mucronate.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, 2–11 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, sometimes also retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 2–6, cymes 1–5-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 9–32 × 1–6 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels erect, ± glandular-pubescent.

secund, (3–)6–44 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 3–15, cymes 2–4(–8)-flowered;

proximal bracts suborbiculate, ovate, or lanceolate, (4–)16–60 × (2–)5–45 mm;

peduncles and pedicels erect, glabrous.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 2.2–4.6 × 1–2.4 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to violet, with reddish purple guides, funnelform, 11–17 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately whitish lanate internally abaxially, tube 3–4 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent to opposite, subexplanate to explanate, 0.6–0.8 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 7–8 mm, reaching orifice, 0.2–0.4 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 0.5–1 mm densely pilose, hairs golden yellow, to 0.8 mm;

style 9–10 mm.

calyx lobes ovate, 1.6–6 × 1.4–3 mm, margins entire or erose, glabrous;

corolla red to crimson, with reddish violet nectar guides, bilaterally symmetric, weakly bilabiate, tubular, 22–30 mm, densely yellow-villous internally abaxially, tube 6–8 mm, throat 6–8 mm diam., constricted at orifice, rounded abaxially, abaxial lobes spreading to reflexed, adaxial lobes projecting to erect;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent, 1.5–1.9 mm, sides glabrous, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 15–17 mm, included or slightly exserted, tip straight to recurved, distal 1–3 mm sparsely lanate, hairs yellow, to 1.5 mm;

style 18–28 mm, usually exserted.

Capsules

5–7 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

10–15 × 5–9 mm.

Penstemon aridus

Penstemon cardinalis

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Rocky hillsides, sagebrush shrublands, montane grasslands.
Elevation 1500–2900 m. (4900–9500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NM; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon aridus is known from the Rocky Mountains in eastern Idaho and southwestern and south-central Montana and the Big Horn and northern Absaroka Mountains of Wyoming. The sometimes grasslike basal leaves distinguish P. aridus from P. humilis and P. virens. At lower elevations or in shaded, forest habitats, plants sometimes have broader basal leaves and tend to be much taller than typical plants; the broadly scarious-margined calyx lobes of P. aridus distinguish it from similar species.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon cardinalis occurs as two weakly differentiated varieties in isolated ranges of the Southern Rocky Mountains.

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

Key
1. Calyx lobes 1.6–3.5(–4) × 1.4–2 mm; cauline leaf blades elliptic to spatulate or ovate, not leathery; proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate.
var. cardinalis
1. Calyx lobes 4–6 × 2.3–3 mm; cauline leaf blades ovate to subcordate, sometimes elliptic, leathery; proximal bracts suborbiculate to ovate.
var. regalis
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 192. FNA vol. 17, p. 147.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Elmigera
Sibling taxa
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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. cardinalis var. cardinalis, P. cardinalis var. regalis
Name authority Rydberg: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 1: 348. (1900) — (as Pentstemon) Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 171. (1913) — (as Pentstemon)
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