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lesser yellow beardtongue, yellow beardtongue, yellow penstemon

Arkansas beardtongue

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 4–40(–70) cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, (18–)25–45(–61) cm, retrorsely hairy, sometimes also ± glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 45–125 × 5–26 mm, blade elliptic to oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 4–7 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, (7–)12–86 × (2–)3–20(–25) mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate or elliptic, rarely ovate, base tapered to truncate, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

basal and cauline, basal often withering by anthesis, not leathery, glabrous or sparsely retrorsely hairy, especially along midvein and margins, abaxially, glabrous or sparsely puberulent adaxially;

basal and proximal cauline 20–95 × 5–28 mm, blade spatulate or obovate to ovate, base tapered, margins subentire to ± serrate or dentate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline (6–)8–12 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 22–80 × 4–20 mm, blade lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins ± serrate or dentate, apex acute to acuminate.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, 2–25(–50) cm, axis glabrous or retrorsely hairy, verticillasters (1 or)2–10, cymes 2–9-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, rarely ovate, 4–50 × 2–12 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels erect, retrorsely hairy.

interrupted, conic, 6–24 cm, axis retrorsely hairy and ± glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–8, cymes 3–13-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 6–40 × 2–12 mm, margins entire or ± dentate;

peduncles and pedicels ascending, retrorsely hairy and ± glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes oblong to lanceolate, 3–4.8 × 0.7–1.8 mm, apex truncate to cuspidate or short- to long-caudate, glabrous;

corolla yellow, rarely white, ochroleucous, pink, or lavender, without nectar guides, tubular to tubular-funnelform, 6–11 mm, glabrous externally, moderately yellowish or white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 3–4 mm, throat slightly inflated, 2–3 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 0.4–0.5 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 4–6 mm, included, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight, distal 0.5–1 mm pilose, hairs yellowish brown, to 0.5 mm;

style 7–9 mm.

calyx lobes ovate, 2.8–4.5 × 1.1–2 mm, sparsely glandular-pubescent;

corolla white, with reddish purple nectar guides, tubular to tubular-funnelform, 15–19 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately whitish lanate internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat slightly inflated, 4–7 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.8–1 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 10–12 mm, exserted, 0.2–0.4 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 5–7 mm ± villous, hairs yellow or golden yellow, to 1.2 mm;

style 9–11 mm.

Capsules

3–5 × 2–3.5 mm, glabrous.

4–7 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 32.

= 16.

Penstemon confertus

Penstemon arkansanus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Dry meadows, grassy slopes, openings in pine forests. Rocky oak-hickory woodlands, glades, rocky stream bottoms.
Elevation 300–2400 m. (1000–7900 ft.) 60–300 m. (200–1000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; ID; MT; OR; WA; AB; BC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; MO; OK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon confertus is widespread in the Central, Northern, and Canadian Rocky mountains in southern Alberta, southern British Columbia, southwestern Saskatchewan, northern Idaho, western Montana, northeastern Oregon, and eastern Washington. Isolated populations are known in northern British Columbia (Lackman Lake) and southern Alaska (Haines). E. Heitz (1927) reported a chromosome number of 2n = ca. 16 for P. confertus; the voucher for that count has not been verified. Counts from reports by J. Clausen et al. (1940), D. D. Keck (1945), and R. Spellenberg (1971) all are 2n = 32. Putative hybrids between P. confertus and P. globosus have been documented in Idaho County, Idaho (D. V. Clark 1971).

The Thompson and Okanagan-Colville tribes of southern British Columbia and northeastern Washington use Penstemon confertus for drugs, food, and dye (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Penstemon arkansanus is centered in the Interior Highlands. The species is most similar to P. pallidus, from which it differs by its narrower, less hairy, and more numerous cauline leaves. Some specimens from the narrow zone of sympatry in north-central Arkansas and south-central Missouri exhibit varying degrees of morphologic intermediacy. Penstemon arkansanus has been reported from Illinois (R. H. Mohlenbrock 1986) and Texas (S. D. Jones et al. 1997); those reports seem unlikely.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 198. FNA vol. 17, p. 193.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon 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. clutei, P. cobaea, P. comarrhenus, P. compactus, P. concinnus, 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. 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. watsonii, P. whippleanus, P. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Synonyms P. multicaulis, P. pallidus subsp. arkansanus, P. wherryi
Name authority Douglas: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 15: plate 1260. (1829) — (as Pentstemon confertum) Pennell: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 73: 493. (1922)
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