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sawsepal penstemon, southern smooth beardtongue, western smooth beardtongue

Southwestern beardtongue

Stems

ascending, (10–)50–65(–80) cm, glabrous or puberulent to pubescent, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 28–90 cm, glabrous, ± glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, or basal absent or reduced, not leathery, glabrous or puberulent to pubescent, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 20–80(–155) × 5–20(–45) mm, blade obovate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, usually undulate, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes mucronate;

cauline (2 or)3–6(–8) pairs, sessile, 27–120(–150) × (6–)22–35(–43) mm, blade lanceolate, base truncate to cordate, apex obtuse to acute.

basal and cauline, ± leathery, glabrous, ± glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 35–120(–150) × 8–30 mm, blade obovate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, sometimes undulate, apex obtuse;

cauline 3–6 pairs, sessile or proximals sometimes short- to long-petiolate, (20–)30–120 × 6–20(–29) mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate or elliptic, base truncate to clasping, sometimes tapered, margins sometimes undulate, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

continuous, secund, (3–)6–26(–30) cm, axis glabrous or puberulent, verticillasters (3–)5–12, cymes 2–4-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 14–100 × 2–36 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous or puberulent, peduncles to 71 mm, pedicels 4–14 mm.

continuous, secund, 8–48 cm, axis glabrous;

verticillasters 5–8(–17), cymes 1–4-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 10–65 × 2–15 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to orbiculate, 2–11 × 1.3–5.5 mm, glabrous or puberulent;

corolla blue to violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose, 24–48 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally or sparsely to moderately white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 5–12 mm, throat gradually inflated, slightly constricted at orifice, 8–13(–18) mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs divergent, navicular, 1.4–2.5(–2.8) mm, dehiscing incompletely, connective not splitting, sides sparsely to moderately hirsute, hairs white or tan, to 0.5 mm, rarely glabrous, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.2 mm;

staminode (15–)18–22 mm, included or barely exserted, 0.6–1.3 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, rounded to distinctly bifurcate at apex, glabrous or distal 1–2 mm sparsely lanate, hairs pale yellow, to 1.5 mm;

style 18–20 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, (4–)4.5–9(–10) × 2.1–3.4(–3.8) mm, glabrous;

corolla blue to bluish violet, with reddish violet nectar guides, ventricose, (20–)25–32 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 7–11 mm, throat abruptly inflated, slightly constricted at orifice, 8–12 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, pollen sacs divergent, sigmoid, 2–2.5 mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/4 indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides glabrous, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 16–19 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.6–0.9 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 5–7 mm ± pilose, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style (17–)19–23 mm.

Capsules

10–17 × 5–8 mm.

8–10 × 5–6 mm.

Penstemon glaber

Penstemon laevis

Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Sandy soils, sagebrush, juniper, oak-juniper, and pine-juniper communities.
Elevation 1100–2000 m. (3600–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; MT; ND; NE; NM; SD; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

The Penstemon glaber complex has been treated with as many as four species (F. W. Pennell 1920b) or one variable species as treated herein. M. K. W. Latady (1985) found clinal variation in most morphologic characters used to distinguish taxa in the complex and recognized only one species and two varieties: var. glaber (including var. alpinus) in the plains and mountains from southeastern Montana south to central Colorado; and var. brandegeei, in the mountains from central Colorado south to north-central New Mexico. A case for recognizing var. alpinus, as is done here, can be made on morphological, phenological, and ecological grounds.

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

Penstemon laevis is known from Coconino and Mohave counties, Arizona, and Garfield, Kane, and Washington counties, Utah. Penstemon ×jonesii Pennell, a putative hybrid between P. eatonii and P. laevis, is known from Kane and Washington counties, Utah (E. C. Neese and N. D. Atwood 2003).

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

Key
1. Calyx lobes 2–4.8 mm, apices rounded or abruptly short-acuminate; staminode apices rounded.
var. glaber
1. Calyx lobes 3.8–11 mm, apices long-acuminate; staminode apices rounded or bifurcate.
→ 2
2. Staminode apices rounded or bifurcate; corollas 24–35 mm; stems glabrous or puberulent proximally.
var. alpinus
2. Staminode apices usually bifurcate; corollas 27–48 mm; stems puberulent to pubescent proximally.
var. brandegeei
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 167. FNA vol. 17, p. 170.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri
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. gairdneri, P. gibbensii, 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. 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. glaber var. alpinus, P. glaber var. brandegeei, P. glaber var. glaber
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 738. (1813) — (as Pentstemon glabra) Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 347. (1920)
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