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

dusty beardtongue, dusty penstemon

shining penstemon, wax-leaf beardtongue, waxleaf penstemon

Stems

ascending to erect, (18–)40–80(–120) cm, glabrous, sometimes retrorsely hairy proximally, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, (5–)9–40 cm, glabrous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, ± leathery or not, glabrous or sparsely retrorsely hairy, rarely densely retrorsely hairy, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 40–80(–120) × 7–20(–30) mm, blade obovate to oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 5–7(or 8) pairs, sessile, 38–110 × 1–10 mm, blade oblanceolate to linear, base tapered, apex obtuse to acute.

basal and cauline, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 15–140 × 2–27 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes rounded or mucronate;

cauline 2–4(–6) pairs, sessile, (11–)18–85 × (3–)5–28(–32) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base clasping or cordate-clasping, apex acuminate to acute, sometimes mucronate.

Thyrses

erupted, secund, sometimes subsecund, (12–)15–32 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 6–12, cymes 1–2(–5)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts linear, (6–)26–84 × 1–4 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

± interrupted, cylindric, (2–)5–20 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (2–)4–10, cymes 2–5-flowered;

proximal bracts orbiculate to ovate or lanceolate, 19–70 × 7–28 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous, peduncles to 3 mm.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, (2.2–)3.5–6(–7) × 2.1–2.7 mm, glabrous;

corolla blue to pinkish blue or lavender, with violet nectar guides, ventricose, 25–35(–38) mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 8–11(–14) mm, throat abruptly inflated, slightly constricted at orifice, 9–13 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair exserted, pollen sacs divergent to nearly opposite, navicular-sigmoid, 2–2.5(–2.8) mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/5 indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides densely villous or lanate, hairs white, to 2.5 mm, sutures smooth, papillate, or denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 12–17 mm, included, 0.8–1 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous or distal 1–2 mm sparsely pilose, hairs white, to 0.5 mm;

style 16–25 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3–7.5 × (0.8–)1.2–1.8 mm, margins entire or erose, narrowly scarious, glabrous;

corolla blue to violet, with reddish violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, (10–)13–15(–18) mm, glabrous externally, glabrous or sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice to slightly exserted, pollen sacs opposite, 0.7–1.2 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 8–11 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, 0.8–1.5 mm diam., tip strongly recurved, distal 3–4 mm densely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 1.5 mm, hairs on proximal part of staminode mostly along margins;

style 8–10 mm.

Capsules

(7–)10–15 × 4–5 mm.

9–13 × 5–8 mm.

Penstemon comarrhenus

Penstemon nitidus

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Pinyon-juniper, Gambel oak, and ponderosa pine woodlands.
Elevation (1000–)1600–2800 m. ((3300–)5200–9200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; ND; SD; WY; AB; BC; MB; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon comarrhenus usually is distinguished from P. strictus by its paler blue corollas, more diffuse inflorescences, and more densely lanate anthers. A putative hybrid between P. comarrhenus and P. barbatus var. trichander has been collected in La Plata County, Colorado (R. E. Umber, B. E. Nelson & T. Davis 999b, KANU, RM).

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Some specimens of Penstemon nitidus from western Montana are referable to variety with difficulty.

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

Key
1. Proximal bracts orbiculate to ovate, rarely lanceolate; calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3–6.5 mm; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming.
var. nitidus
1. Proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate; calyx lobes lanceolate, (3.2–)5–7.5 mm; Idaho, Montana.
var. polyphyllus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 162. FNA vol. 17, p. 122.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei
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. clutei, P. cobaea, 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. 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. nitidus var. nitidus, P. nitidus var. polyphyllus
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 81. (1876) — (as Pentstemon) Douglas ex Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 323. (1846) — (as Pentstemon)
Web links