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elliptic-leaf penstemon, oval-leaf penstemon, rockvine beardtongue, rocky ledge beardtongue, rocky ledge penstemon

desert penstemon, Parry's beardtongue

Habit Subshrubs, cespitose.
Stems

ascending to erect, 5–18 cm, puberulent to retrorsely hairy, usually in lines proximally, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 30–120(–160) cm, glaucous.

Leaves

deciduous, sometimes persistent, 2–6 pairs, distals seldom distinctly smaller than proximals, petiolate or sessile, (5–)10–42 × 4–15 mm, blade obovate to ovate, elliptic, or lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins ± crenulate-serrulate, apex obtuse to acute, glabrous, not glaucous.

glabrous, glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 36–125 × 8–25 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, rarely remotely and obscurely dentate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 2–5 pairs, sessile, 23–130 × 5–25 mm, blade lanceolate to oblong, base clasping to auriculate-clasping, margins entire, rarely remotely and obscurely dentate, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

continuous, cylindric to ± secund, 1–4 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 2–4, cymes 1-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, (4–)8–25 × 3–17 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, cylindric, (4–)10–60 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (2–)5–16, cymes 2–7-flowered;

proximal bracts lanceolate, (8–)13–55 × 2–8 mm;

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

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, 8–15 × (1.8–)2.5–3.7 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to purple, unlined internally but abaxial ridges usually light violet to whitish, not personate, funnelform, 27–40 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely to moderately white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 5–8 mm, throat 8–11 mm diam.;

stamens included, pollen sacs 1.1–1.3 mm;

staminode 9–16 mm, flattened distally, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous or distal 1–3(–13) mm sparsely to moderately villous, hairs yellow, to 1.3 mm;

style 25–28 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3–4.6 × 1.2–2 mm, apex acute to short-acuminate, glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent;

corolla rose pink to rose magenta, with reddish purple nectar guides, bilaterally symmetric, bilabiate, ventricose, 13–22 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, white-pilose and glandular-pubescent internally abaxially, tube 3–7 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–7 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs explanate, 1.1–1.4 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 10–12 mm, flattened distally, 0.7–1(–2.5) mm diam., tip straight, distal 4–5 mm retrorsely hairy, hairs yellow or whitish, to 1 mm;

style 13–15 mm.

Capsules

8–11 × 6–8 mm.

7–9 × 4–5 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon ellipticus

Penstemon parryi

Phenology Flowering May–Aug(–Sep). Flowering (Feb–)Mar–May.
Habitat Cliffs, ledges, rock outcrops, talus slopes. Rocky hillsides, washes, canyons, oak scrub and deserts.
Elevation 900–2700 m. (3000–8900 ft.) 200–1500 m. (700–4900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; WA; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon ellipticus is known from the Canadian, Northern, and Middle Rocky mountains, including the Columbia Mountains.

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

Penstemon parryi is known from the scattered desert mountain ranges of southern Arizona in Cochise, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yavapai counties. The species resembles P. superbus; it is distinguished by its narrow leaves and corollas that are rose pink or rose magenta, more bilaterally symmetric, and white-pilose abaxially in the throats.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 88. FNA vol. 17, p. 153.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Dasanthera > sect. Erianthera Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Gentianoides
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. 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. 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. 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. davidsonii var. ellipticus P. puniceus var. parryi
Name authority J. M. Coulter & Fisher: Bot. Gaz. 18. 302. (1893) — (as Pentstemon) (A. Gray) A. Gray: in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 2(1): 264. (1878) — (as Pentstemon)
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