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blue penstemon, dark blue beardtongue

Thompson's beardtongue, Thompson's penstemon

Stems

ascending to erect, (17–)30–80 cm, glabrous, not or ± glaucous.

prostrate or ascending, 4–15(–25) cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike.

Leaves

basal and cauline, ± leathery or not, glabrous, ± glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 50–170 × 8–25(–35) mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–7 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, (15–)30–90(–120) × (4–)8–25 mm, blade lanceolate to ovate, base cordate-clasping or proximals tapered, apex acute.

not leathery, densely retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike;

cauline 1–5 pairs, petiolate, 6–25(–33) × 2–6.5 mm, blade obovate to spatulate, base tapered, apex mucronate, sometimes rounded or obtuse.

Thyrses

continuous or interrupted, secund, (3–)7–27 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (3–)5–14, cymes (2 or)3–6-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 15–65 × 2–26 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous, peduncles to 18 mm, pedicels 3–18 mm.

continuous, secund, (1–)2–12 cm, axis retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike, sometimes also glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters (1–)3–12, cymes 1–3(–5)-flowered, 1 per node;

proximal bracts spatulate to oblanceolate, 5–19 × 1.5–4 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, and, sometimes, sparsely glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes obovate to ovate, 2.5–4.5 × 2–3.4(–3.8) mm, apex mucronate, sometimes acute to acuminate, glabrous;

corolla blue to violet or purple, without nectar guides, ventricose, 24–30(–34) mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 7–10 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 8–11 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs divergent, sigmoid, 1.8–2.7(–3) mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/5 indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides hispid to hispidulous, hairs white or tan, to 0.2 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 14–17 mm, included, 0.5–0.7 mm diam., tip straight, distal 4–7 mm sparsely pilose, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 17–23 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 4–6 × 1–1.7 mm, herbaceous- or narrowly scarious-margined, sparsely glandular-pubescent and retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike;

corolla blue to violet or purple, lined internally abaxially with reddish violet nectar guides, ampliate, 10–18 mm, yellow-lanate internally abaxially, tube 6–7 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4.5–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens reaching orifice or longer pair exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs divergent, navicular, 0.8–1.2(–1.4) mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 8–9 mm, exserted, flattened distally, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 6–8 mm pubescent, hairs yellow or orange, to 0.8 mm;

style 10–13 mm.

Capsules

9–13 × 5–7 mm.

3.5–5.5 × 3–4 mm.

Penstemon cyaneus

Penstemon thompsoniae

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Gravelly or sandy hillsides, sagebrush shrublands. Sandy to gravelly soils, sagebrush shrublands, pine-juniper woodlands, pine forests.
Elevation 1400–2900 m. (4600–9500 ft.) 1500–3400 m. (4900–11200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon cyaneus occurs from the vicinity of Yellowstone National Park westward into south-central Idaho.

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

D. D. Keck (1937) recognized two subspecies in his treatment of Penstemon thompsoniae: subsp. jaegeri, restricted to mountains of Clark County, Nevada, which he distinguished by its few, remote stems and open inflorescences, and subsp. thompsoniae in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, which he distinguished by its tufted stems and compact inflorescences. A morphologic continuum exists between the two subspecies.

Neese described var. desperatus from Beaver and Iron counties, Utah, and eastern Nevada, distinguishing it from var. thompsoniae by its longer stems and inflorescences, and smaller leaves. She later concluded that geographic variation in Penstemon thompsoniae was not sufficiently geographically correlated to recognize infraspecific taxa (E. C. Neese 1993).

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 164. FNA vol. 17, p. 107.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Caespitosi
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. confertus, P. confusus, P. crandallii, P. cusickii, P. cyananthus, 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. 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. pumilus var. thompsoniae, P. thompsoniae var. desperatus, P. thompsoniae subsp. jaegeri
Name authority Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 351. (1920) (A. Gray) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 36: 690. (1909) — (as Pentstemon)
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