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large beardtongue, largeflower penstemon, shell-leaf beardtongue

California beardtongue, California penstemon

Stems

erect, (40–)50–95(–120) cm, glabrous.

ascending to erect, (5–)8–30 cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs white, scalelike.

Leaves

basal and cauline, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 30–160 × 6–50 mm, blade spatulate to obovate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 4–8 pairs, sessile, 18–90(–110) × 15–50 mm, blade spatulate to orbiculate, base clasping, apex rounded to obtuse.

± leathery or not, densely retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike;

cauline 10–30 pairs, petiolate, 8–16 × 1.5–2.5 mm, blade oblanceolate, base tapered, apex mucronate.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, 12–30(–40) cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 3–7(–9), cymes 2–4-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to elliptic or orbiculate, (9–)16–83 × (9–)16–54 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

interrupted or continuous, secund, (1–)2–9 cm, axis retrorsely hairy with appressed, white, scalelike hairs, verticillasters 2–13, cymes 1–4-flowered, 1 per node;

proximal bracts oblanceolate, 2–10 × 0.5–1.5 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, retrorsely hairy with appressed, white, scalelike hairs, and sparsely glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 7–11 × 2.5–4 mm, margins entire, rarely erose, herbaceous or narrowly scarious, glabrous;

corolla lavender to blue or pinkish blue, with magenta nectar guides, ampliate, 35–48 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 10–13 mm, throat abruptly inflated, 15–18 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, 2.1–2.6 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 16–21 mm, included or reaching orifice, 2–2.6 mm diam., tip recurved to coiled, distal 1–2 mm sparsely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 0.5 mm;

style 19–30 mm.

calyx lobes ovate, 3.5–5.5 × 1.5–2 mm, scarious-margined, retrorsely hairy with appressed, white, scalelike hairs, and sparsely glandular-pubescent;

corolla purple to violet, lined internally abaxially with reddish purple nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 14–18 mm, sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 5–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4.5–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, filaments glabrous or sparsely puberulent and sometimes with appressed, white, scalelike hairs proximally, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.9–1.4 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 7–9 mm, reaching orifice or exserted, flattened distally, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 4–5 mm pilose, hairs yellow, to 0.7 mm;

style 9–11 mm.

Capsules

16–20(–25) × 8–15 mm.

5–7 × 4–5 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon grandiflorus

Penstemon californicus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul. Flowering May–Jul(–Aug).
Habitat Sandy or calcareous soils, tallgrass, mixed-grass, and sand prairies. Sandy or gravelly soils, pine-juniper woodlands, pine forests.
Elevation 200–1800(–2400) m. (700–5900(–7900) ft.) 1200–2300 m. (3900–7500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; CT; IA; IL; IN; KS; MA; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; OH; OK; SD; TX; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Widely distributed in the western Midwest and Great Plains in the United States, Penstemon grandiflorus is cultivated as an ornamental for its showy flowers. Reports from Connecticut (D. W. Magee and H. E. Ahles 2007), Indiana (K. Yatskievych 2000), Massachusetts (Magee and Ahles), Michigan (E. G. Voss 1972–1996), and Ohio (T. S. Cooperrider 1995) appear to be based on introductions. Penstemon grandiflorus has been seeded along highways in Iowa and Nebraska, where it is also native.

The validity of the name Penstemon grandiflorus has been debated owing to the meager diagnosis by Nuttall. The name is accepted here, making P. bradburyi Pursh, an illegitimate, superfluous replacement for P. grandiflorus.

The Dakota, Kiowa, and Sioux tribes, centered in the Great Plains, use Penstemon grandiflorus as an analgesic, a gastrointestinal aid, and for fevers (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

In California, Penstemon californicus is known from the San Jacinto Mountains in Orange and Riverside counties; it also occurs in the Sierra San Pedro Mártir in Baja California. The chromosome number of 2n = 16 reported by N. H. Holmgren (1993) is likely an error based on a count for Scrophularia californica reported in P. H. Raven et al. (1965) and later misattributed to P. californicus by D. V. Clark (1971) as n = 48 (the count listed in Raven et al.), and then corrected to 2n = 16.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 118. FNA vol. 17, p. 101.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Caespitosi
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. gracilis, P. grahamii, 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. 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. linarioides var. californicus
Name authority Nuttall: Cat. Pl. Upper Louisiana, no. 64. (1813) — (as grandiflorum) (Munz & I. M. Johnston) D. D. Keck: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 64: 378. (1937)
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