The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Cardwell's beardtongue, Cardwell's penstemon

Rydberg's beardtongue, Rydberg's penstemon

Habit Shrubs, sometimes cespitose. Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 10–27 cm, retrorsely hairy or puberulent, not glaucous.

decumbent, ascending, or erect, 20–70(–120) cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, sometimes only in lines, not glaucous.

Leaves

persistent, 6–9 pairs, distals usually distinctly smaller than proximals, short-petiolate or sessile, 15–55 × 4–16 mm, blade elliptic, base tapered, margins subentire or serrate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute, glabrous, ± glaucous.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline (25–)35–70(–150) × (5–)10–15(–22) mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute, rarely mucronate;

cauline 3–6 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 25–70(–110) × 3–24 mm, blade lanceolate to elliptic or oblong, base tapered to clasping, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

± interrupted, secund, 5–14 cm, axis retrorsely hairy proximally, retrorsely hairy and glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters 3–7, cymes 1-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 6–18 × 3–12 mm, margins serrate, sometimes entire;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent, sometimes also puberulent.

interrupted, cylindric, 3–10(–18) cm, axis retrorsely hairy or puberulent, sometimes glabrous, verticillasters (1 or)2–7, cymes (3–)5–11-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, (4–)11–52(–70) × (1–)2–18 mm, margins entire or erose to lacerate;

peduncles and pedicels erect, glabrous, retrorsely hairy, or puberulent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 8–14 × 2–3.1 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla purple to violet, essentially unlined internally but abaxial ridges usually light purple or white, not personate, funnelform, (25–)30–38 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 6–8 mm, throat 9–10 mm diam.;

stamens included, pollen sacs 1.5–1.7 mm;

staminode 11–13 mm, essentially terete distally, 0.1 mm diam., tip straight, distal 4–6 mm moderately to densely villous, hairs white or yellowish, to 1.5 mm;

style 25–29 mm.

calyx lobes oblong to ovate or obovate, 3–8 × 1.2–3.5 mm, apex acute to acuminate or short- to long-caudate, glabrous or puberulent;

corolla violet to blue or purple, without nectar guides, funnelform, 10–20 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely white- or yellowish villous internally abaxially, tube 3–4 mm, throat gradually inflated, 3–4.5 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.5–1.1 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or ± papillate;

staminode 6–7 mm, reaching orifice, 0.2–0.4 mm diam., tip straight, distal 1.5–2 mm moderately to densely pilose, hairs golden yellow, to 1 mm;

style 8–10 mm.

Capsules

8–11 × 4–6 mm.

4–5 × 3–4 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon cardwellii

Penstemon rydbergii

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Rock outcrops, pumice and talus slopes, forest clearings, roadcuts.
Elevation 400–1900 m. (1300–6200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon cardwellii occurs primarily on the west slope of the Cascade Range from southwestern Oregon to northwestern Washington, with isolated populations east of the crest.

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

As treated here, Penstemon rydbergii includes three partially sympatric varieties. D. D. Keck (1945) treated the same taxa as four species and two subspecies (P. hesperius, P. oreocharis, P. rydbergii subsp. aggregatus, P. rydbergii subsp. rydbergii, and P. vaseyanus).

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

Key
1. Calyx lobe margins lacerate, rarely erose, broadly scarious, apices acuminate or short- to long-caudate; proximal bract margins erose to lacerate proximally, sometimes entire; thyrse axes retrorsely hairy or puberulent.
var. rydbergii
1. Calyx lobe margins erose, sometimes lacerate, narrowly to broadly scarious, apices acute, acuminate, or short-caudate; proximal bract margins entire; thyrse axes glabrous or retrorsely hairy.
→ 2
2. Stems ± retrorsely hairy; thyrse axes glabrous or retrorsely hairy; corollas (10–)13–20 mm; pollen sacs (0.6–)0.8–1.1 mm.
var. aggregatus
2. Stems glabrous, rarely ± retrorsely hairy; thyrse axes glabrous, rarely ± retrorsely hairy; corollas 10–14 mm; pollen sacs 0.5–0.7(–0.8) mm.
var. oreocharis
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 86. FNA vol. 17, p. 220.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Dasanthera > sect. Erianthera 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. canescens, P. cardinalis, 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. 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. rydbergii var. aggregatus, P. rydbergii var. oreocharis, P. rydbergii var. rydbergii
Name authority Howell: Fl. N.W. Amer., 510. (1901) — (as Pentstemon) A. Nelson: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 25: 281. (1898) — (as Pentstemon)
Web links