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Colorado beardtongue

white-margin beardtongue, white-margined beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 10–30(–35) cm, retrorsely hairy proximally, glandular-pubescent distally.

ascending, 10–35 cm, glabrous, glaucescent, proximal stems usually buried, rhizomelike.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous, puberulent, or retrorsely hairy;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, (15–)30–60(–100) × (1–)2–5(–7) mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–6 pairs, sessile, (25–)40–80 × 2–7 mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered to slightly clasping, margins entire or obscurely denticulate, apex acute to acuminate.

cauline, leathery, glabrous;

cauline 2–5 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 18–60 × 5–22 mm, blade spatulate to obovate, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse or truncate.

Thyrses

continuous or interrupted, cylindric or slightly secund, (5–)7–23 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–8, cymes 2–4-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 18–100 × 2–12 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent.

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, 5–12 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 3–7, cymes (1–)3–8-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts oval to oblong, 22–44 × 8–18 mm, margins entire or erose;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, (6–)7–9 × 1–2 mm, densely glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to lilac or pinkish blue, with magenta or violet nectar guides, weakly bilabiate, tubular-funnelform, (16–)18–22(–24) mm, moderately white-pilose internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 7–9 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent, navicular, 1.2–1.5 mm, dehiscing incompletely, connective not splitting, sutures papillate;

staminode 13–16 mm, reaching orifice or exserted, 0.6–0.9 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 10–15 mm moderately to densely villous, hairs orangish, to 2.5 mm;

style 11–14 mm.

calyx lobes ovate-oblong to lanceolate, 3–5 × 1.4–2.1 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla pinkish lavender, with reddish or violet nectar guides, funnelform, 13–18 mm, glabrous externally, moderately yellowish pilose internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 0.8–1.1 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 5–7 mm, reaching orifice, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, glabrous;

style 7–10 mm.

Capsules

(6–)8–10 × 3–4 mm.

8–11 × 5–7 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon auriberbis

Penstemon albomarginatus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Silty or gravelly soils, shortgrass prairies, sagebrush shrublands. Aeolian and colluvial sand, desert sand dunes and scrub.
Elevation 1200–2500 m. (3900–8200 ft.) 500–1800 m. (1600–5900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon auriberbis is known from Chaffee, Costilla, Custer, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, and Pueblo counties, Colorado, and Colfax and Union counties, New Mexico. The species is unique in sect. Cristati in having incompletely dehiscing anthers.

Penstemon parviflorus is known only from the type locality in Montezuma County, Colorado (S. L. O’Kane 1988). A report for McKinley County, New Mexico, has not been confirmed. The type was collected July 1890 by Alice Eastwood, reputedly near Mancos, Colorado. F. W. Pennell (1920b) distinguished P. parviflorus from the more eastern P. auriberbis primarily by the former’s shorter corollas, longer calyx lobes, and more slender stems. D. D. Keck (1938) observed that the type specimen has whorled cauline leaves, which Pennell did not mention in his description, and Keck suggested that P. parviflorus might be a genetically aberrant individual of P. auriberbis that was accidentally introduced into Montezuma County. Whorled cauline leaves are not uncommon in P. auriberbis, and they occur rarely in other species in sect. Cristati. Penstemon parviflorus appears to be P. auriberbis, and the type specimen actually may have come from south-central Colorado; Eastwood collected P. auriberbis in Pueblo County in 1891.

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

Penstemon albomarginatus is known from northwestern Arizona (Mohave County), southeastern California (San Bernardino County), and southern Nevada (Clark and Nye counties). The species is morphologically anomalous in sect. Penstemon and probably belongs elsewhere in subg. Penstemon.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 129. FNA vol. 17, p. 191.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Cristati Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon
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. aridus, P. arkansanus, P. attenuatus, P. atwoodii, 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. 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
Synonyms P. parviflorus
Name authority Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 339. (1920) M. E. Jones: Contr. W. Bot. 12: 61. (1908) — (as Pentstemon)
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