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

northern beardtongue, Salmon River beardtongue

Habit Subshrubs, cespitose.
Stems

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

decumbent, ascending, or erect, 3–12 cm, retrorsely hairy.

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.

basal and cauline or mostly basal, not leathery, retrorsely hairy;

basal and proximal cauline short-petiolate or sessile, 7–35(–50) × 1–4 mm, blade oblanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 1–3 pairs, sessile, 12–30 × 1–4 mm, blade oblanceolate to oblong or linear, usually arcuate, base tapered, margins entire, apex 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 to compact, cylindric, 1–6 cm, axis retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 1–6, cymes 1- or 2-flowered, 1 or 2 per node;

proximal bracts oblanceolate to lanceolate, 7–30 × 1–3 mm;

peduncles and pedicels retrorsely hairy and sparsely 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 lanceolate, 4.5–7 × 1.5–2 mm, puberulent and glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 15–20(–23) mm, glabrous or sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 6–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.9–1.2 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures papillate;

staminode 9–12 mm, included, 0.5–0.6 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 6–8 mm sparsely pilose, hairs yellow, to 0.5 mm;

style 9–11 mm.

Capsules

8–11 × 6–8 mm.

4–7 × 3.5–5.5 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon ellipticus

Penstemon pumilus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug(–Sep). Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Cliffs, ledges, rock outcrops, talus slopes. Gravelly soils, limestone, sagebrush shrublands.
Elevation 900–2700 m. (3000–8900 ft.) 1400–2100 m. (4600–6900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; WA; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID
[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 pumilus is known from east-central Idaho in Butte, Clark, Custer, and Lemhi counties. The arcuate cauline leaves with acute apices and tufted basal leaves reliably distinguish this species from the other diminutive members of sect. Cristati.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 88. FNA vol. 17, p. 142.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Dasanthera > sect. Erianthera Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Cristati
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. 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. 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
Name authority J. M. Coulter & Fisher: Bot. Gaz. 18. 302. (1893) — (as Pentstemon) Nuttall: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 46. (1834) — (as Pentstemon pumilum)
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