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Sunset Crater beardtongue, Sunset Crater penstemon

Watson's beardtongue, Watson's penstemon

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 30–60 cm, glaucous.

ascending to erect, 25–60 cm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and proximal cauline 26–56 × 7–15 mm, blade lanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, margins coarsely dentate or serrate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 4–7 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 30–55 × 5–32 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered or auriculate-clasping to connate-perfoliate on distal leaves, margins coarsely dentate, apex acute to acuminate.

essentially cauline, basal absent or poorly developed, not leathery, glabrous or puberulent;

cauline 4–8 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 30–70(–80) × 8–18(–35) mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate, base tapered or clasping, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, secund, 8–30 cm, axis glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters 3–10, cymes 1–3-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to triangular, 12–35 × 8–32 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, (1.5–)5–16 cm, axis ± retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 2–6(–10), cymes (2–)6–14-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, rarely ovate, 3–60 × 1–23 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, ± retrorsely hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to elliptic, 3.5–5.5 × 2.5–3.8 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla pink to rose pink, with reddish purple nectar guides, strongly bilabiate, ventricose, 23–27 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glandular-pubescent internally, also usually moderately white-lanate abaxially, tube 6–10 mm, length 1.6–2 times calyx lobes, throat abruptly inflated, ± constricted at orifice, 9–12 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, filaments of shorter pair glandular-puberulent proximally, pollen sacs explanate, 1.3–1.6 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 16–18 mm, exserted, 0.4–0.6(–1) mm diam., tip straight, glabrous or distal 2–4 mm moderately lanate, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 17–22 mm, glabrous.

calyx lobes broadly ovate, 1.8–3(–3.5) × 1.4–2 mm, apex obtuse to acute or short-cuspidate, glabrous;

corolla blue to violet or purple, with faint reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform, 12–16(–18) mm, glabrous externally, sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 4–5 mm, throat gradually inflated, 3–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair slightly exserted, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.9–1 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 8–9 mm, reaching orifice, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip slightly recurved, distal 3–4 mm moderately to densely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 1 mm;

style 9–13 mm.

Capsules

9–12 × 6–7 mm, glabrous.

4–7 × 3.5–5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon clutei

Penstemon watsonii

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Volcanic cinder fields, pine forests. Dry, rocky slopes, sagebrush shrublands, pine-oak and pine woodlands.
Elevation 1900–2600 m. (6200–8500 ft.) 1700–3200 m. (5600–10500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon clutei occurs only near Indian Flat and Sunset Crater in south-central Coconino County.

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

Penstemon watsonii is known from mountain ranges throughout the Intermountain Region. Penstemon laxus, which has been included as a variety of this species, has corollas 2–3 mm in diameter and densely white-villous internally abaxially, and is known from south-central Idaho north of the Snake River. Penstemon watsonii does enter extreme south-central Idaho but is not known to occur north of the Snake River.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 249. FNA vol. 17, p. 226.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Spectabiles 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. cardwellii, P. carnosus, P. caryi, P. centranthifolius, P. cinicola, P. clevelandii, 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. venustus, P. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, P. washingtonensis, P. whippleanus, P. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Synonyms P. pseudospectabilis subsp. clutei
Name authority A. Nelson: Amer. Bot. (Binghamton) 33: 109. (1927) A. Gray: in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 2(1): 267. (1878) — (as Pentstemon watsoni)
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