The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Harbour's beardtongue

bush penstemon, shrubby beardtongue, shrubby penstemon

Habit Herbs. Shrubs or subshrubs, usually cespitose.
Caudex

rhizomelike.

Stems

decumbent, ascending, or weakly erect, 4–18 cm, retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

ascending, 13–40 cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, usually in lines, not glaucous.

Leaves

cauline, not leathery, glabrate, retrorsely hairy, or puberulent;

cauline 2–4 pairs, petiolate or sessile, 7–28 × 3–12 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins entire, apex rounded or obtuse to acute.

persistent, 2–6 pairs, distals usually distinctly smaller than proximals, petiolate or sessile, (5–)6–50(–60) × 3–12 mm, blade lanceolate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered to clasping, margins entire or ± serrate, or dentate, apex obtuse to acute, glabrous, not glaucous.

Thyrses

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

proximal bracts lanceolate, 17–23 × 4–10 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, retrorsely hairy and glandular-pubescent.

continuous to ± interrupted, secund, 3–11 cm, axis sparsely glandular-pubescent, sometimes also retrorsely hairy proximally, verticillasters 2–7, cymes 1-flowered;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 4–16 × 1–5 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, 6–10 × 1.3–2 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender or bluish lavender to lavender-purple, without nectar guides, bilabiate, not personate, tubular-funnelform, 15–20 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, densely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–6 mm diam., prominently 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, subexplanate, 0.7–0.9 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 8–9 mm, included, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 4–5 mm moderately to densely lanate, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 11–12 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate to linear, (7–)9–13(–15) × 1.8–3 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla bluish lavender to purplish or violet, unlined internally or lined with faint bluish lavender nectar guides abaxially, not personate, funnelform, 28–48 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely to moderately white-lanate or -villous internally abaxially, tube (5–)8–10 mm, throat 8–13 mm diam.;

stamens included, pollen sacs 1–1.3(–1.5) mm;

staminode 7–12 mm, slightly flattened distally, 0.1–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 1–4 mm sparsely to densely pubescent, hairs yellow, to 1.2 mm;

style 24–27 mm.

Capsules

6–8 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

8–13 × 5.5–7 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon harbourii

Penstemon fruticosus

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Alpine talus, gravel slopes, boulder fields.
Elevation 3200–4200 m. (10500–13800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon harbourii is found on the high peaks of the Central Rocky Mountains. Populations have been documented in at least 17 counties. Habit, pubescence, and root characters of P. harbourii are somewhat anomalous in sect. Penstemon, prompting D. D. Keck (1945) to suggest possible ties with sect. Caespitosi or sect. Cristati. Molecular data appear to provide support for ties with sect. Caespitosi (A. D. Wolfe et al. 2006; C. A. Wessinger et al. 2016).

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon fruticosus occurs widely across the Central and Northern Rocky mountains and Cascade Ranges from southwestern Alberta and interior British Columbia to northwestern Wyoming, southern Idaho, and southern Oregon.

Drug, food, fiber, dye, and decorative uses of Penstemon fruticosus are reported among six tribes of Native Americans in northwestern North America (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Key
1. Leaf margins sharply serrate to dentate, at least distally, blades oblanceolate to elliptic, 6–25 × 3–8 mm; wc Idaho, ne Oregon, se Washington.
var. serratus
1. Leaf margins entire, serrate, or dentate, rarely sharply serrate or dentate, blades lanceolate to oblanceolate or elliptic, (5–)8–50(–60) × 3–12 mm; sw Alberta, s British Columbia, Idaho, sw Montana, Oregon, Washington, nw Wyoming.
→ 2
2. Leaf blades lanceolate to oblanceolate or elliptic; corollas 28–40 mm; s British Columbia, Idaho, sw Montana, Oregon, Washington, nw Wyoming.
var. fruticosus
2. Leaf blades lanceolate; corollas 35–48 mm; sw Alberta, s British Columbia, n Idaho, ne Washington.
var. scouleri
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 206. FNA vol. 17, p. 88.
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. gracilis, P. grahamii, P. grandiflorus, P. griffinii, P. grinnellii, P. guadalupensis, P. hallii, 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. fruticosus var. fruticosus, P. fruticosus var. scouleri, P. fruticosus var. serratus
Synonyms Gerardia fruticosa
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 71. (1862) — (as Pentstemon) (Pursh) Greene: Pittonia 2: 239. (1892) — (as Pentstemon)
Web links