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

Cleveland's beardtongue

pinto beardtongue, pinto penstemon, two-color beardtongue

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 30–70 cm, glaucous.

ascending to erect, 60–150 cm, glaucous.

Leaves

basal and proximal cauline 15–90 × 8–35 mm, blade ovate, base truncate to tapered, margins entire or coarsely dentate, apex acute;

cauline 4–7 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 10–70 × 8–32 mm, blade cordate to triangular-lanceolate, base tapered or truncate on proximal leaves to connate-perfoliate on distal leaves, margins coarsely dentate, sometimes entire, apex acute.

basal and proximal cauline 37–110 × 10–50 mm, blade obovate, base tapered, margins coarsely serrate to coarsely dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 4–8 pairs, sessile, 40–110 × 15–55 mm, blade ovate, base connate-perfoliate, margins coarsely serrate to coarsely dentate, apex acute to acuminate.

Thyrses

interrupted, secund, 10–40(–65) cm, axis glabrous or glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 6–12(–22), cymes 2–8-flowered;

proximal bracts depressed-ovate to ovate or triangular, 6–45 × 11–26 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending or erect, glabrous or glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, secund, 16–90 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 9–23, cymes 1–4-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 8–25 × 3–28 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, 3.2–6 × 1.6–4 mm, glabrous or glandular-pubescent;

corolla red to reddish purple, with or without reddish or reddish purple nectar guides, bilabiate, tubular-funnelform to slightly ventricose, 17–24 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally or glandular-pubescent, sometimes also pilose abaxially, tube 6–9 mm, length 1.8–2 times calyx lobes, throat gradually inflated, slightly constricted or not at orifice, 5–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs navicular or explanate, 1.2–1.7 mm, sutures smooth or denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 6–11 mm, included, 0.3–0.5 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, glabrous or distal 1–6 mm pilose, hairs yellow, to 0.8 mm, proximal 1–2 mm sometimes glandular-puberulent;

style 11–14 mm, glabrous.

calyx lobes ovate, 4–6 × 2.2–3 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla pink to rose pink, purple, or light yellow, with or without reddish or reddish purple nectar guides, strongly bilabiate, ventricose, 18–27 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glandular-pubescent internally, and sparsely white- or yellowish lanate internally abaxially, tube 7–10 mm, length 1.7–2 times calyx lobes, throat abruptly inflated, constricted at orifice, 6–9 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, filaments of shorter pair glandular-puberulent proximally, pollen sacs explanate, 1.4–1.8 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 14–16 mm, included or exserted, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 4–5 mm lanate, hairs yellow, to 2.8 mm, proximal 3–4 mm glandular-puberulent;

style 14–16 mm, glabrous.

Capsules

6–9 × 5–7 mm, glabrous.

10–13 × 5–7 mm, glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent distally.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon clevelandii

Penstemon bicolor

Phenology Flowering Mar–Jun.
Habitat Gravelly soils, arroyos, roadsides, talus slopes, desert scrub, juniper woodlands.
Elevation 500–1700 m. (1600–5600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon clevelandii is an ancient, stable, diploid hybrid between P. centranthifolius and P. spectabilis (A. D. Wolfe et al. 1998). Penstemon ×parishii A. Gray is a naturally occurring hybrid, also with P. centranthifolius and P. spectabilis as parents; it has been reported from Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, California (D. D. Keck 1937b; Paul Wilson and M. Valenzuela 2002). Keck reported that P. clevelandii var. clevelandii could be distinguished from P. ×parishii by the former’s shorter and narrower corollas, more glandular-pubescent inflorescences, and explanate pollen sacs.

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

Penstemon bicolor is known from the Mojave Desert in the Black Mountains of northwestern Mohave County, Arizona, the Castle, Clark, and New York mountains of eastern San Bernardino County, California, and the desert mountain ranges of southern and western Clark County, Nevada. Two subspecies differing in corolla color have been recognized, with yellow-corolla forms restricted to Clark County, Nevada. Subspecies are not recognized here, following J. D. Morefield (2006).

Habitat destruction and genetic swamping caused by hybridization between Penstemon bicolor and P. palmeri threaten many populations of P. bicolor in the vicinity of Las Vegas, Nevada (G. Glenne 2003).

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

Key
1. Distal cauline leaves sessile, bases connate-perfoliate; pollen sacs navicular, sutures denticulate; peduncles, pedicels, and calyx lobes glabrous.
var. connatus
1. Distal cauline leaves short-petiolate or sessile, bases tapered or truncate; pollen sacs explanate, sutures smooth; peduncles, pedicels, and calyx lobes glandular-pubescent, rarely glabrous.
→ 2
2. Corollas glandular-pubescent internally, not pilose or sparsely white- or yellowish pilose internally abaxially; staminodes 9–11 mm.
var. clevelandii
2. Corollas not glandular-pubescent internally, densely white- or yellowish pilose internally abaxially; staminodes 6–8 mm.
var. mohavensis
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 248. FNA vol. 17, p. 247.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Spectabiles 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. 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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. clevelandii var. clevelandii, P. clevelandii var. connatus, P. clevelandii var. mohavensis
Synonyms P. palmeri var. bicolor, P. bicolor subsp. roseus, P. pseudospectabilis subsp. bicolor
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 11: 94. (1876) — (as Pentstemon clevelandi) (Brandegee) Clokey & D. D. Keck: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 38: 12. (1939)
Web links