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beard-lip beardtongue, beardlip penstemon, scarlet penstemon, Southwestern beardtongue

hairy beardtongue, northeastern beardtongue, penstémon hirsute

Habit Herbs.
Stems

erect, sometimes ascending, 30–100 cm, glabrous or puberulent proximally, usually slightly glaucous.

ascending to erect, 30–80 cm, retrorsely hairy and sparsely to densely glandular-villous, not glaucous.

Leaves

glabrous or sparsely to densely puberulent, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 30–80(–140) × (6–)12–30(–35) mm, blade oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse, acute, or acuminate;

cauline 3–7(–14) pairs, sessile, 28–142 × 1–8(–15) mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered, apex acuminate, sometimes acute.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or sparsely glandular-lanate along midveins, rarely moderately glandular-lanate;

basal and proximal cauline 20–126 × 4–16 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, lanceolate, spatulate, or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire or serrate to dentate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 5–8(–10) pairs, sessile or short-petiolate, 20–130 × 2–30 mm, blade lanceolate to oblanceolate, base clasping or tapered, margins finely to coarsely serrate or dentate, apex acute to acuminate.

Thyrses

± secund, sometimes cylindric, 11–69 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 6–14(–19), cymes (1 or)2–4-flowered;

proximal bracts linear, 15–70(–126) × 1–10 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, glabrous.

interrupted, conic, 6–37 cm, axis glandular-pubescent to glandular-lanate, verticillasters (3 or)4–8, cymes 2–11(–15)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 8–60 × 1–6 mm, margins entire or ± serrate to dentate;

peduncles and pedicels ascending, glandular-pubescent to glandular-lanate.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, (3–)4–6(–9) × 1.9–2.8(–3.2) mm, margins entire or erose, glabrous or obscurely glandular-pubescent;

corolla red or orangish red to crimson or scarlet, with reddish violet nectar guides, bilaterally symmetric, strongly bilabiate, tubular-funnelform, 26–32(–36) mm, glabrous or sparsely white-lanate or yellow-lanate internally abaxially, tube 5–8 mm, throat 5–6 mm diam., not constricted at orifice, slightly 2-ridged abaxially, abaxial lobes strongly reflexed, adaxial lobes projecting;

stamens exserted (but usually concealed beneath projecting adaxial lip), pollen sacs opposite, proximal 1/4–1/3 indehiscent, 1.5–2(–2.2) mm, sides glabrous or sparsely to moderately lanate-villous, hairs white, to 1.5 mm, sutures papillate or denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 15–17 mm, included, tip straight, glabrous;

style 22–27 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–7 × 1.5–2.3 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender or purplish, with or without faint violet nectar guides, bilabiate, personate, tubular, 20–26(–28) mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately to densely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 6–7 mm, throat slightly inflated, 6–8 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular to subexplanate, 0.8–1 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 13–16 mm, exserted, 0.6–0.7 mm diam., tip straight, distal 11–14 mm moderately to densely villous, hairs yellowish, to 1.2 mm;

style 16–18 mm.

Capsules

10–14 × 6–8 mm.

6–9 × 5–6 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon barbatus

Penstemon hirsutus

Phenology Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Sandy or rocky woods, rocky fields, bluffs, cliffs.
Elevation 10–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; NM; TX; UT; n Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; DC; DE; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; ON; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon barbatus is among the more widespread and conspicuous penstemons in the desert Southwest and Southern Rocky mountains. Putative hybrids reported between P. barbatus and P. comarrhenus, P. glaber, P. strictus, and P. virgatus were summarized by F. S. Crosswhite (1965); putative hybrids involving P. pseudoputus and P. putus also are suspected among some herbarium specimens. Penstemon barbatus is widely cultivated for its showy flowers; cultivars with yellow corollas also exist. Penstemon barbatus was reported for Suffolk County, Massachusetts (D. W. Magee and H. E. Ahles 2007); that report, or that those plants persisted outside of cultivation, has not been confirmed.

Various groups of Apache, Navajo, and Western Keres of Arizona and New Mexico used Penstemon barbatus for drugs, ceremonies, and decorations (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Penstemon hirsutus occurs widely in the northeastern United States, and in southern Ontario and Quebec. Its long, tubular, personate corollas and herbage with some stellate hairs may indicate a close relationship with P. oklahomensis and P. tenuiflorus.

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

Key
1. Pollen sac sides sparsely to moderately lanate-villous.
var. trichander
1. Pollen sac sides glabrous.
→ 2
2. Corollas yellow-lanate internally abaxially.
var. barbatus
2. Corollas glabrous or sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially.
var. torreyi
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 146. FNA vol. 17, p. 208.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Elmigera 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. auriberbis, P. australis, P. azureus, P. baccharifolius, 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. 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. barbatus var. barbatus, P. barbatus var. torreyi, P. barbatus var. trichander
Synonyms Chelone barbata Chelone hirsuta, C. pentstemon
Name authority (Cavanilles) Roth: Catal. Bot. 3: 49. (1806) — (as Pentstemon barbata) (Linnaeus) Willdenow: Sp. Pl. 3: 227. (1800) — (as Pentstemon)
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