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Colorado beardtongue

Stephens' beardtongue, Stephens' penstemon

Habit Herbs.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, 30–150 cm, glaucous, sometimes not.

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.

basal and proximal cauline 35–80 × 18–30 mm, blade spatulate to ovate or elliptic, base tapered, margins coarsely serrate to coarsely dentate, apex rounded to acute;

cauline 4–7 pairs, sessile, 18–80 × 10–40 mm, blade ovate-oblong to triangular-ovate, base connate-perfoliate, margins finely serrate, apex obtuse to acute or acuminate.

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.

interrupted, secund, 16–45 cm, axis glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters 8–14, cymes 2–6-flowered;

proximal bracts depressed-ovate to ovate or triangular, 12–50 × 15–55 mm;

peduncles and pedicels erect, sparsely glandular-pubescent.

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, 3–4.2(–5) × 1.5–2.5 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla rose to magenta or pinkish lavender, without nectar guides, bilabiate, funnelform to slightly ventricose, 16–20 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glandular-pubescent internally, tube 5–6 mm, length 1.7–2 times calyx lobes, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 4–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs explanate, 1.1–1.5 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 9–13 mm, included, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous;

style 10–12 mm, glabrous.

Capsules

(6–)8–10 × 3–4 mm.

7–10 × 4–6 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon auriberbis

Penstemon stephensii

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Silty or gravelly soils, shortgrass prairies, sagebrush shrublands. Rocky slopes, washes, rock crevices, creosote shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands.
Elevation 1200–2500 m. (3900–8200 ft.) 1200–1700 m. (3900–5600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[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 stephensii is known from the Granite, Kingston, Nopah, and Providence ranges in Inyo and San Bernardino counties.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 129. FNA vol. 17, p. 255.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Cristati Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Spectabiles
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. 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. 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) Brandegee: Zoë 5: 151. (1903) — (as Pentstemon stephensi)
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