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Fendler's beardtongue, Fendler's penstemon

lax beardtongue, tuft penstemon

Habit Herbs.
Stems

erect, (15–)20–55(–60) cm, glabrous.

ascending to erect, 30–70 cm, ± retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 20–100 × 4–24 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse or acute, sometimes mucronate;

cauline 2–5 pairs, sessile, (14–)23–95 × (4–)6–31 mm, blade lanceolate or ovate to trullate, base clasping to cordate-clasping, apex obtuse to acute.

essentially cauline, basal leaves absent or poorly developed, not leathery, glabrous, sometimes ± puberulent;

cauline 4–8(–10) pairs, sessile, 30–90 × 4–17 mm, blade lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, (5–)11–38 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (3 or)4–12, cymes 2- or 3(–5)-flowered;

proximal bracts trullate to ovate, 11–70 × 7–38 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, (1–)2–15 cm, axis ± retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 1–5, cymes (2–)6–13-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 8–38 × 1–8 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous or retrorsely hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, 4.5–7 × 1.5–3.5 mm, margins entire or erose, broadly scarious, glabrous or obscurely glandular along margins distally;

corolla lavender to violet or bluish, with violet or reddish purple nectar guides, tubular-salverform, 14–23(–28) mm, glabrous externally or glandular, glabrous or sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 7–9 mm, throat slightly inflated, 4–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, 1–1.3 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 8–11 mm, reaching orifice, 0.8–1.6 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 1–3 mm villous, hairs golden yellow, to 1.5 mm;

style 11–15 mm.

calyx lobes broadly ovate to obovate or elliptic, 1.7–3 × 0.9–2 mm, apex obtuse to acute or slightly cuspidate, glabrous;

corolla violet to blue or purple, with faint reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform, 12–15 mm, glabrous externally, densely yellow-villous internally abaxially, tube 3–4 mm, throat gradually inflated, 3–4 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair slightly exserted, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 0.4–0.8 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 6–8 mm, included, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 2–3 mm sparsely to densely villous, hairs yellow, to 0.7 mm;

style 7–9 mm.

Capsules

10–15 × 8–10 mm.

4.5–6 × 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon fendleri

Penstemon laxus

Phenology Flowering Mar–Jun(–Jul). Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Sandy or gravelly soils, mixed-grass, shortgrass, or sandsage prairies. Dry meadows, sagebrush shrublands.
Elevation 200–2300 m. (700–7500 ft.) 1700–2400 m. (5600–7900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; KS; NM; OK; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon fendleri occurs on mesas and plains from the southern Great Plains through western Texas, New Mexico, and southeastern Arizona into northern Mexico.

The Ramah Navajo of western New Mexico use Penstemon fendleri as a dermatological aid (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Penstemon laxus is known from south-central Idaho; populations are known in Blaine, Boise, and Elmore counties.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 117. FNA vol. 17, p. 211.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei 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. 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. 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. 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. watsonii subsp. laxus
Name authority Torrey & A. Gray: in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 2(4): 168, plate 5. (1857) — (as Pentstemon) A. Nelson: Bot. Gaz. 54: 147. (1912) — (as Pentstemon)
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