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Fremont's beardtongue

lesser yellow beardtongue, yellow beardtongue, yellow penstemon

Habit Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 8–25(–40) cm, densely retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

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

Leaves

basal and cauline, or basal absent or reduced, not leathery, retrorsely hairy or glabrous, sometimes glabrescent, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 30–75(–100) × 2–18(–27) mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–4 pairs, sessile, rarely short-petiolate, 22–77 × 3–10(–15) mm, blade lanceolate, proximals sometimes oblanceolate, base tapered to truncate, apex acute.

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.

Thyrses

interrupted to ± continuous, cylindric, (3–)8–22(–28) cm, axis moderately to densely retrorsely hairy, verticillasters (5–)7–15, cymes (1 or)2- or 3-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 16–50(–63) × 3–10 mm;

peduncles and pedicels retrorsely hairy.

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.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, (3–)4–6.8 × 1.7–2.8 mm, glabrous, rarely ± puberulent;

corolla blue to violet or purple, with violet nectar guides, funnelform, (12–)14–23(–28) mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 6–8 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 6–9 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent, navicular, (1–)1.2–1.5(–1.8) mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/4 indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides sparsely to moderately hispid, hairs white or tan, to 0.4(–1) mm, sutures papillate or denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 10–12 mm, included, 0.8–1.1 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 5–7 mm sparsely pilose, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 12–15 mm.

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.

Capsules

7–10 × 5–6 mm.

3–5 × 2–3.5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 32.

Penstemon fremontii

Penstemon confertus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Dry meadows, grassy slopes, openings in pine forests.
Elevation 300–2400 m. (1000–7900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; ID; MT; OR; WA; AB; BC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

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.)

Key
1. Leaves densely retrorsely hairy, rarely glabrescent, basal and proximal cauline 2–18(–27) mm wide.
var. fremontii
1. Leaves glabrous or glabrescent, except sometimes margins and midveins, basal and proximal cauline 2–12 mm wide.
var. glabrescens
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 166. FNA vol. 17, p. 198.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri 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. fendleri, P. filiformis, P. flavescens, P. floribundus, P. floridus, P. flowersii, P. franklinii, 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. fremontii var. fremontii, P. fremontii var. glabrescens
Name authority Torrey & A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 60. (1862) — (as Pentstemon fremonti) Douglas: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 15: plate 1260. (1829) — (as Pentstemon confertum)
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