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lilac beardtongue, lilac penstemon, slender beardtongue, slender penstemon

Griffin's beardtongue

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Caudex

herbaceous.

Stems

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

erect, 12–50 cm, retrorsely hairy proximally, becoming glandular-pubescent distally, not 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.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or retrorsely hairy abaxially along midvein and glabrous adaxially, ± glaucescent;

basal and proximal cauline 13–55 × 4–8(–12) mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to acute;

cauline 2–5(or 6) pairs, sessile, 5–40(–52) × 0.3–5 mm, blade linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex acuminate.

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.

interrupted, secund, 1–14 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (1–)3 or 4(or 5), cymes 1–3-flowered, 1(or 2) per node;

proximal bracts linear, 3–15 × 0.3–1.4 mm;

peduncles and pedicels erect, sometimes ascending, glandular-pubescent.

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, 3.8–7.5 × 1.5–2.6 mm, glabrescent or glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to blue or purple, with violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 17–25 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, densely golden-villous internally abaxially, tube 4–7 mm, throat slightly inflated, 5–7 mm diam., prominently 2-ridged abaxially;

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

staminode 10–13 mm, included, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 7–11 mm densely pilose, hairs golden, to 1.5 mm;

style 12–17 mm.

Capsules

6–8 × 3–4 mm, glabrous.

6–9 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon gracilis

Penstemon griffinii

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Tallgrass, mixed grass, and shortgrass prairies, foothills. Rocky hillsides, open coniferous forests, montane grasslands.
Elevation 300–2100 m. (1000–6900 ft.) 2500–3000 m. (8200–9800 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
CO; NM
[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.)

Populations of Penstemon griffinii are documented in Chaffee, Conejos, Fremont, Mineral, Park, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties, Colorado, and Rio Arriba and Taos counties, New Mexico. Penstemon griffinii can be confused with narrow-leaved plants of P. degeneri, but the pubescence on the internal abaxial surfaces of the corollas of P. griffinii is consistently golden-lanate and extends from the abaxial limbs 5–8 mm into the throats of the corollas. In P. degeneri, the internal abaxial surfaces of the corollas are white- or yellow-lanate, sometimes sparsely so, and the indument barely extends into the throats of the corollas.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 205. FNA vol. 17, p. 206.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon 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. 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. 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. 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. Nelson: Bot. Gaz. 56: 70. (1913) — (as Pentstemon)
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