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stiff-leaf beardtongue, stiffleaf penstemon

royal beardtongue, royal penstemon, showy beardtongue, showy penstemon

Habit Herbs.
Stems

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

decumbent to ascending or erect, 7–65(–90) cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy to pubescent, not 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.

basal and cauline, basal sometimes absent, ± leathery or not, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline (25–)30–90(–140) × (3–)6–20(–35) mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic or lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–8 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 35–70(–150) × 3–20(–30) mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, lanceolate, or linear, base tapered to clasping, apex obtuse to acute.

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.

continuous, secund or cylindric, (1–)3–35 cm, axis glabrous or puberulent, rarely glandular or glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (2–)4–14, cymes 1–4-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, rarely ovate or linear, (15–)20–80 × (1–)2–23 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, rarely glandular-pubescent, peduncles to 20 mm, pedicels 1–8 mm.

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 to lanceolate, rarely obovate, (4–)6–11(–13.5) × 2–4 mm, margins erose, apex acute to acuminate or cuspidate, glabrous or ± glandular proximally;

corolla blue to violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose, 25–35 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous, rarely sparsely white-pilose, internally abaxially, tube 8–13 mm, throat gradually inflated, slightly constricted at orifice, 7–10(–13) mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs divergent, sigmoid, (1.8–)2–3 mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/3 indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides glabrous or sparsely hispidulous, hairs tan, to 0.3 mm, sutures papillate or denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 14–18 mm, included, 0.6–1 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, glabrous or distal 1–7 mm sparsely pilose, hairs yellow to yellowish orange, to 0.8 mm;

style 18–23 mm.

Capsules

5–7 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

10–16 × 6–8 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon aridus

Penstemon speciosus

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul. Flowering May–Aug(–Sep).
Habitat Rocky hillsides, sagebrush shrublands, montane grasslands. Sagebrush shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, clearings in pine forests.
Elevation 1500–2900 m. (4900–9500 ft.) 300–3300 m. (1000–10800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; UT; WA
[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.)

Penstemon speciosus is widespread and highly polymorphic. F. S. Crosswhite (1967b) examined morphologic variation and concluded it was clinal.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 192. FNA vol. 17, p. 179.
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. 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. 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. 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. speciosus subsp. kennedyi
Name authority Rydberg: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 1: 348. (1900) — (as Pentstemon) Douglas ex Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 15: plate 1270. (1829) — (as Pentstemon speciosum)
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