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

Harbour's beardtongue

northern smooth beardtongue, smooth penstemon

Habit Herbs.
Caudex

rhizomelike.

Stems

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

erect, (10–)18–90(–130) cm, glabrous proximally, usually sparsely glandular distally, 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.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 35–140(–170) × 8–24 mm, blade oblanceolate, sometimes lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–6(–11) pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 28–95(–130) × 4–15 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, apex acute.

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.

interrupted, secund, (4–)12–38 cm, axis glabrous or glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–12, cymes 1–3(–6)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, (3–)15–75 × (1–)2–22 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent, sometimes sparsely so.

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 ovate to lanceolate, 4.5–7.5 × (1.5–)2.1–2.8 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to violet or purple, with violet nectar guides, ventricose, 19–28 mm, ± glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally, tube 6–10(–11) mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 7–10 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1.6–2 mm, dehiscing incompletely, connective not splitting, sides sparsely to moderately hispid or pubescent, hairs white, to 0.2 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 13–16 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, 0.6–0.8 mm diam., tip straight, distal 2–3 mm sparsely villous, hairs yellow, to 0.7 mm;

style 14–18 mm.

Capsules

6–8 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

8–12 × 5–6 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon harbourii

Penstemon subglaber

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Alpine talus, gravel slopes, boulder fields. Sagebrush shrublands, clearings in fir forests.
Elevation 3200–4200 m. (10500–13800 ft.) 1600–3400 m. (5200–11200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; UT; WY
[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.)

Studies of morphology and flavonoids confirm the distinctness of Penstemon subglaber from P. mensarum and P. saxosorum (M. L. Moorman 1982). Penstemon subglaber occurs primarily from the Teton and Wind River mountains of western Wyoming through the Uinta and Wasatch mountains to the Tushar Mountains in south-central Utah.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 206. FNA vol. 17, p. 181.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri
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. 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. 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. glaber var. utahensis
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 71. (1862) — (as Pentstemon) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 36: 688. (1909) — (as Pentstemon)
Web links