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scarlet bugler

Blue Mountain penstemon, elegant beardtongue, elegant penstemon, lovely beardtongue, Venus penstemon

Habit Subshrubs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 30–120 cm, glaucous.

ascending to erect, 18–80 cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, not glaucous.

Leaves

glabrous, glaucous;

cauline 5–11 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 40–100 × 10–40 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to auriculate-clasping, margins entire, apex rounded to acute.

cauline, opposite, glabrous, sometimes glaucous;

cauline 7–15 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, (20–)40–100(–120) × (7–)10–30(–38) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to truncate, margins subentire or serrate, apex acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, secund to ± cylindric, 15–60(–100) cm, axis glabrous or obscurely scabrous, verticillasters 8–18(–22), cymes 1–5(–11)-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, (3–)7–25(–87) × (1–)3–14(–30) mm;

peduncles and pedicels erect, glabrous or obscurely scabrous.

interrupted, ± secund, (2–)7–40 cm, axis glabrous or retrorsely hairy, verticillasters (3–)5–14, cymes 2–7-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, (6–)23–70(–115) × (1–)4–28(–35) mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous or retrorsely hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3–6 × 2–3 mm, margins erose, glabrous;

corolla scarlet, without nectar guides, nearly radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate, salverform, 25–33 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 8–10 mm, throat slightly inflated, 4.5–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs explanate, 0.9–1.2 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 13–14 mm, terete to slightly flattened distally, 0.1–0.3 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous;

style 18–27 mm, exserted.

calyx lobes ovate to obovate or lanceolate, 2.5–6 × 1.3–1.8 mm, glabrous except for margins sometimes ciliate;

corolla lavender to purple or violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, weakly ventricose, 24–38 mm, glabrous externally except lobe margins densely white-ciliate, glabrous internally, tube 7–9 mm, throat gradually inflated, 9–10 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, filaments white-lanate distally, rarely glabrous, pollen sacs parallel, 1.6–2.1 mm, distal 1/2–2/3 indehiscent, sides hispidulous, hairs white, to 0.2 mm near point of attachment of connective, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.2 mm;

staminode 16–19 mm, reaching orifice or barely exserted, 0.4–0.5 mm diam., distal 2–5 mm sparsely to moderately lanate, hairs white, to 2 mm;

style 18–25 mm.

Capsules

8–11 × 6–7 mm.

6–9 × 4–5 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 64.

Penstemon centranthifolius

Penstemon venustus

Phenology Flowering Feb–Jul. Flowering (May–)Jun–Sep.
Habitat Hillsides, chaparral, oak, pinyon-juniper, and Joshua tree woodlands, coastal sage scrub, pine forests. Rock outcrops, rocky and talus slopes, especially on basalt, shrublands, forest clearings.
Elevation 0–1800 m. (0–5900 ft.) 300–2700 m. (1000–8900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; OR; UT; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon ×parishii A. Gray, a naturally occurring hybrid between P. centranthifolius and P. spectabilis (A. D. Wolfe and W. J. Elisens 1993), has been reported from Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, California (D. D. Keck 1937; Paul Wilson and M. Valenzuela 2002). A wild hybrid between P. centranthifolius and P. eatonii also was reported from San Bernardino County, California (Wilson and Valenzuela). Penstemon ×dubius Davidson was described from Mount Lowe in the San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles County, California, growing with P. centranthifolius and P. grinnellii. Hybridization between P. centranthifolius and P. grinnellii has been documented using allozyme and DNA data (Wolfe and Elisens 1993, 1994).

Three southern and central Californian tribes of Native Americans used Penstemon centranthifolius for drugs, food, and decorations (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Penstemon venustus is known from the Snake River Plateau in west-central Idaho, northeastern Oregon, and southeastern Washington and is naturalized in Lassen County, California. E. C. Neese and N. D. Atwood (2003) reported P. venustus, apparently introduced, from Duchesne County, Utah. E. Heitz (1927) reported a chromosome number of 2n = 14–16 for P. venustus; that count conflicts with all other reports for P. venustus.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 151. FNA vol. 17, p. 245.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Gentianoides Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera
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. cardwellii, P. carnosus, P. caryi, 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. 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. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, P. washingtonensis, P. watsonii, P. whippleanus, P. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Synonyms Chelone centranthifolia
Name authority (Bentham) Bentham: Scroph. Ind., 7. (1835) — (as Pentstemon centranthifolium) Douglas ex Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 16: plate 1309. (1830) — (as Pentstemon venustum)
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