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sawsepal penstemon, southern smooth beardtongue, western smooth beardtongue

cliff beardtongue, cliff penstemon, rock penstemon

Habit Subshrubs, cespitose.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, 3–16 cm, puberulent to pubescent, not 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.

persistent, 3–8 pairs, distals usually distinctly smaller than proximals, short-petiolate or sessile, 4–22 × 3–14 mm, blade round to elliptic or spatulate, base tapered to cuneate, margins ± serrate, apex rounded to obtuse, rarely acute, glabrous or hairy, usually glaucous.

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, 1–3 cm, axis hairy proximally, pubescent or glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters 1–3, cymes 1-flowered;

proximal bracts elliptic to ovate, 3–9 × 2–6 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

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 lanceolate-elliptic to oblong, 6–11 × 2–2.8 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla pink to red, pinkish lavender, or rose red, essentially unlined internally but abaxial ridges usually white, not personate, funnelform, 25–36 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally or sparsely white-lanate abaxially, tube 8–12 mm, throat 6–8 mm diam.;

stamens: longer pair exserted, pollen sacs 1–1.5 mm;

staminode 13–15 mm, slightly flattened distally, 0.1 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous or distal 1–2 mm sparsely villous, hairs yellow, to 0.8 mm;

style 26–30 mm.

Capsules

10–17 × 5–8 mm.

7–9 × 5–7 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon glaber

Penstemon rupicola

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Cliffs, rock outcrops.
Elevation 60–2400 m. (200–7900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; MT; ND; NE; NM; SD; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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 rupicola occurs largely in the Siskiyou Mountains and Cascade Range from northern California to northern Washington. It is partly sympatric with and forms hybrids with P. cardwellii, P. davidsonii var. davidsonii, and P. fruticosus var. fruticosus (A. D. Every 1977). Hybrids between P. rupicola and P. davidsonii var. davidsonii are encountered frequently in the vicinity of Crater Lake National Park and Mt. Hood (Every).

(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. 92.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Dasanthera > sect. Erianthera
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. 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. 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
Synonyms P. newberryi var. rupicola
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 738. (1813) — (as Pentstemon glabra) (Piper) Howell: Fl. N.W. Amer., 510. (1901) — (as Pentstemon)
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