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Appalachian beardtongue, eastern gray beardtongue

lesser yellow beardtongue, yellow beardtongue, yellow penstemon

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, (20–)35–80 cm, retrorsely hairy and glandular-pubescent, sometimes only glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 4–40(–70) cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, sparsely to densely pubescent, rarely glabrate;

basal and proximal cauline 28–170 × 11–42 mm, blade orbiculate to obovate or elliptic, base tapered, margins irregularly crenate to irregularly serrate, apex rounded to obtuse;

cauline 3–7 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 28–170 × 9–40 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate, proximals usually ± lyrate, base clasping or tapered, margins crenate to serrate, apex obtuse to acute.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 45–125 × 5–26 mm, blade elliptic to oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 4–7 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, (7–)12–86 × (2–)3–20(–25) mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate or elliptic, rarely ovate, base tapered to truncate, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, conic, (5–)8–23 cm, axis ± pubescent and glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–6, cymes 5–13-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 8–60 × 2–20 mm, margins entire or ± crenate to serrate;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, ± pubescent and glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, cylindric, 2–25(–50) cm, axis glabrous or retrorsely hairy, verticillasters (1 or)2–10, cymes 2–9-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, rarely ovate, 4–50 × 2–12 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels erect, retrorsely hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, 3.2–6(–7) × 1.4–1.8(–2) mm, sparsely to moderately glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender to purple, with lavender or purple nectar guides, ventricose, 20–30 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, ± white-pubescent internally abaxially, tube (4–)5–8(–10) mm, throat abruptly inflated, 5–8 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1–1.5 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, rarely sparsely pubescent, hairs white, to 0.2 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode (11–)14–22 mm, exserted, 0.5–0.7 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal (7–)10–12 mm ± pubescent, hairs yellowish, to 2 mm;

style 13–15 mm.

calyx lobes oblong to lanceolate, 3–4.8 × 0.7–1.8 mm, apex truncate to cuspidate or short- to long-caudate, glabrous;

corolla yellow, rarely white, ochroleucous, pink, or lavender, without nectar guides, tubular to tubular-funnelform, 6–11 mm, glabrous externally, moderately yellowish or white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 3–4 mm, throat slightly inflated, 2–3 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 0.4–0.5 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 4–6 mm, included, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight, distal 0.5–1 mm pilose, hairs yellowish brown, to 0.5 mm;

style 7–9 mm.

Capsules

5–7 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

3–5 × 2–3.5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

= 32.

Penstemon canescens

Penstemon confertus

Phenology Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul(–Sep). Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Woodlands, thickets, cliffs, barrens. Dry meadows, grassy slopes, openings in pine forests.
Elevation 200–1600 m. (700–5200 ft.) 300–2400 m. (1000–7900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; GA; IL; IN; KY; MD; NC; OH; PA; SC; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; ID; MT; OR; WA; AB; BC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

F. W. Pennell (1935) acknowledged that Penstemon canescens varies greatly in leaf size, flower size, and vestiture. He distinguished subsp. brittoniorum by its glabrate leaves with sharply serrate margins and dark purple corollas. Plants with those features are encountered mostly in the southern part of the range of the species, although they are essentially sympatric with subsp. canescens and sometimes in mixed populations with plants with the features of subsp. canescens.

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

Penstemon confertus is widespread in the Central, Northern, and Canadian Rocky mountains in southern Alberta, southern British Columbia, southwestern Saskatchewan, northern Idaho, western Montana, northeastern Oregon, and eastern Washington. Isolated populations are known in northern British Columbia (Lackman Lake) and southern Alaska (Haines). E. Heitz (1927) reported a chromosome number of 2n = ca. 16 for P. confertus; the voucher for that count has not been verified. Counts from reports by J. Clausen et al. (1940), D. D. Keck (1945), and R. Spellenberg (1971) all are 2n = 32. Putative hybrids between P. confertus and P. globosus have been documented in Idaho County, Idaho (D. V. Clark 1971).

The Thompson and Okanagan-Colville tribes of southern British Columbia and northeastern Washington use Penstemon confertus for drugs, food, and dye (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 197. FNA vol. 17, p. 198.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon 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. 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. 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. 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. laevigatus var. canescens, P. brittoniorum, P. canescens subsp. brittoniorum
Name authority (Britton) Britton: Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 5: 291. (1894) — (as Pentstemon) Douglas: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 15: plate 1260. (1829) — (as Pentstemon confertum)
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