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lilac beardtongue, lilac penstemon, slender beardtongue, slender penstemon

Barrett's beardtongue, Barrett's penstemon

Habit Herbs. Subshrubs, sometimes cespitose.
Caudex

herbaceous.

Stems

ascending to erect, (15–)20–50 cm, retrorsely hairy and glandular-pubescent, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 13–40 cm, glabrous, glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or sparsely, rarely densely, puberulent;

basal and proximal cauline 25–75 × 4–15 mm, blade ovate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered, margins subentire or ± serrate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 4–7 pairs, sessile, 25–80(–90) × (2–)4–10(–15) mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base truncate to clasping, margins entire or serrulate to serrate, apex acute to acuminate.

persistent, 3–5 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 15–80 × (5–)11–28 mm, blade elliptic to ovate, oblanceolate, or spatulate, base tapered to clasping, margins entire or irregularly serrate to serrulate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute, glabrous, glaucous.

Thyrses

interrupted, sometimes continuous, cylindric, (3–)5–17(–21) cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (2 or)3–5(–7), cymes 2–6-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 5–95 × 1–12 mm, margins entire or serrulate, rarely serrate;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

continuous, secund, 7–13 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 6–8, cymes 1- or 2-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate, 7–28 × 3–17 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–6 × 1.5–2 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla light lavender to lavender, with violet nectar guides, tubular, 14–22 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately white-pilose internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat slightly inflated, 4–6 mm diam., prominently 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent, navicular, 1–1.3 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 11–12 mm, reaching orifice, 0.4–0.5 mm diam., tip slightly recurved, distal 7–9 mm densely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 1.5 mm;

style 9–12 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 5–7.5 × 2.2–3.5 mm, glabrous or inconspicuously glandular proximally;

corolla lilac to purple, essentially unlined internally but abaxial ridges usually lilac or white, not personate, funnelform, 33–38 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely to densely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 6–8 mm, throat 7–10 mm diam.;

stamens included, pollen sacs 1.2–1.6 mm;

staminode 7–13 mm, essentially terete distally, 0.1 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous;

style 20–26 mm.

Capsules

6–8 × 3–4 mm, glabrous.

8–10 × 5–7 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon gracilis

Penstemon barrettiae

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Tallgrass, mixed grass, and shortgrass prairies, foothills. Basalt cliffs, outcrops, talus slopes.
Elevation 300–2100 m. (1000–6900 ft.) 70–300 m. (200–1000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; IA; IL; IN; MI; MN; MT; ND; NE; NM; SD; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Glabrous-leaved plants are characteristic on the prairies of most of the central and northern Great Plains, and in the foothills of the Central, Northern, and Canadian Rocky mountains. Puberulent-leaved plants from the Driftless Area of Wisconsin have been named var. wisconsinensis. Puberulent-leaved plants also occur in Alberta and in North Dakota (specimens from Barnes, Benton, Eddy, Pierce, Ramsey, Wells, and Williams counties have been seen), sometimes with glabrous-leaved plants. Penstemon gracilis is introduced in Indiana (K. Yatskievych 2000).

The roots of Penstemon gracilis are used by the Lakota of the northern Great Plains for protection from snakebites (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Penstemon barrettiae is known from along the Columbia and Klickitat rivers in Hood River, Multnomah, and Wasco counties, Oregon, and Klickitat County, Washington.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 205. FNA vol. 17, p. 86.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon 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. glaber, P. glandulosus, P. glaucinus, P. globosus, P. goodrichii, P. gormanii, P. gracilentus, 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. 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. 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. gracilis subsp. wisconsinensis, P. gracilis var. wisconsinensis
Name authority Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 2: 52. (1818) — (as Pentstemon gracile) A. Gray: in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. ed. 2, 2(1): 440. (1886) — (as Pentstemon barrettae)
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