The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Gairdner's beardtongue, Gairdner's penstemon

Wassuk beardtongue, Wassuk Range beardtongue

Habit Subshrubs. Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 6–40 cm, retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

erect, 50–120 cm, glaucous.

Leaves

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

basal and proximal cauline 10–50(–70) × 1–4 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or linear, base tapered, margins entire, revolute, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 8–12 pairs (or 13–25 leaves when alternate), sessile, 7–35 × 1–3 mm, blade oblanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex acute.

basal and proximal cauline 25–100 × (5–)10–35 mm, blade oblanceolate, base tapered, margins coarsely dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–5 pairs, sessile, 25–65 × 12–25 mm, blade lanceolate, base sessile, clasping or distal ones connate-perfoliate, margins coarsely dentate, apex acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric to secund, 2–12 cm, axis glandular-pubescent and retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 3–12, cymes 1(or 2)-flowered, 1 or 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 5–18 × 0.5–3 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels erect, glandular-pubescent and/or retrorsely hairy.

interrupted, secund, 20–60 cm, axis glabrous, sometimes sparsely glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters 10–16, cymes 2- or 3-flowered;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 15–60 × 4–22 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, 5–8.5 × 1.7–2.7 mm, puberulent and glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to blue or purple, with or without reddish nectar guides, funnelform, 15–22 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glandular-pubescent internally, tube 3–4 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–6 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, navicular to subexplanate, 0.8–1 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 8–11 mm, included, 0.4–0.6 mm diam., tip straight, distal 3–5 mm sparsely to densely pubescent, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 10–12 mm.

calyx lobes ovate, 4–5.5 × 2–2.7 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla pink to rose pink, with reddish nectar guides, strongly bilabiate, ventricose to ventricose-ampliate, (27–)30–35 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, not glandular-pubescent, tube 7–10 mm, length 1.8–2 times calyx lobes, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 10–16 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs navicular, 1.2–1.5 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 22–24 mm, exserted, 0.4–0.6 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 6–7 mm pilose, hairs yellow or golden yellow, to 2 mm;

style 18–24 mm, glabrous.

Capsules

5–9 × 3–5.3 mm, glabrous.

7–11 × 4–6 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon gairdneri

Penstemon rubicundus

Phenology Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat Rocky or gravelly slopes, drainages, roadsides, sagebrush or shadscale shrublands, pine-juniper woodlands.
Elevation 1300–2100 m. (4300–6900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Following A. Cronquist (1959), two varieties are recognized here.

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

Penstemon rubicundus is known from the Pine Nut Mountains (Douglas County) and the Wassuk Range (Mineral County) of western Nevada.

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

Key
1. Leaves alternate; stems 6–20(–35) cm.
var. gairdneri
1. Leaves opposite, sometimes alternate; stems 20–40 cm.
var. oreganus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 204. FNA vol. 17, p. 254.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Spectabiles
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. fremontii, P. fruticiformis, P. fruticosus, 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. 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. gairdneri var. gairdneri, P. gairdneri var. oreganus
Name authority Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 99. (1838) — (as Pentstemon) D. D. Keck: Amer. Midl. Naturalist 18: 802. (1937)
Web links