Penstemon humilis var. humilis |
Penstemon humilis |
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low beardtongue, lowly penstemon |
low beardtongue, lowly penstemon |
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Habit | Herbs. | |||||||||
Stems | decumbent to erect, (2–)5–30(–65) cm, retrorsely hairy, not glaucous. |
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Leaves | basal leaves puberulent or retrorsely hairy, (8–)15–105 × 2–13(–18) mm, cauline blade margins entire, rarely ± serrate distally. |
basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or retrorsely hairy; basal and proximal cauline (8–)15–105 × 2–22(–32) mm, blade obovate to ovate or oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, sometimes serrulate or serrate, apex obtuse to acute; cauline (1 or)2–4 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 10–35(–45) × 1–11 mm, blade obovate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins entire, rarely ± serrate, apex obtuse to acute. |
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Thyrses | interrupted, cylindric to ± secund, (1–)3–20(–39) cm, axis moderately glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (1–)3–9(–11), cymes (1 or)2–6(–11)-flowered, 2 per node; proximal bracts lanceolate, rarely ovate, 6–34(–48) × 1–11 mm, margins entire; peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent and, usually, retrorsely hairy. |
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Flowers | corolla (7–)12–19 mm. |
calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 2.8–5(–6) × 1–1.9 mm, margins entire or erose, apex acute, glandular-pubescent; corolla blue to purple or violet, with reddish violet nectar guides, bilabiate, not personate, tubular-funnelform, (7–)8–19 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, sparsely to moderately white- or yellow-lanate internally abaxially, tube 2–5 mm, throat slightly inflated, (3–)4.5–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially; stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.5–0.8 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or papillate; staminode (3–)7–9 mm, included, 0.1–0.3 mm diam., tip slightly recurved, distal 1–4 mm sparsely to densely pilose, hairs yellow or golden yellow, to 0.7 mm (medial hairs sparser and shorter); style 6–12 mm. |
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Capsules | 4–6 × 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous. |
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2n | = 16. |
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Penstemon humilis var. humilis |
Penstemon humilis |
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Phenology | Flowering May–Jul. | |||||||||
Habitat | Open, rocky slopes, hillsides, sagebrush shrublands, pine-juniper woodlands, coniferous forests, alpine meadows. | |||||||||
Elevation | 1000–3200 m. (3300–10500 ft.) | |||||||||
Distribution |
CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY |
CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
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Discussion | Welsh described var. desereticus based on material with relatively larger corollas (15–19 mm) and smaller basal leaves (8–25 × 2–6 mm) from mountain ranges in the western Bonneville Basin of Utah; E. C. Neese and N. D. Atwood (2003) considered the variety to be limited to Utah. Variety desereticus appears to be confluent with a form of the species in the Calcareous Mountains of eastern Nevada, which N. H. Holmgren (1984) discussed and later recognized as Penstemon decurvus (Holmgren 2017). Penstemon decurvus, described from eastern Lincoln County, Nevada, also is referable here. Plants from northeastern California, extreme southwestern Idaho, extreme northwestern Nevada, and eastern and central Oregon often have cinereous leaves and relatively longer stems, shorter calyx lobes, and, sometimes, more open inflorescences; these plants have been called P. cinereus. This element grades into other phases to the east and appears to be another form of highly variable var. humilis. Some specimens from eastern Idaho (Clark and Fremont counties) have glabrous leaves, possibly from genetic exchange with P. aridus. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora). Penstemon humilis is widespread and extremely variable throughout its range in the western United States. Except for two fairly distinct elements in Utah, most variation in the species is contained in the widespread var. humilis. D. D. Keck (1945) and N. H. Holmgren (1984) summarized the ranges and morphologic tendencies of some of the more distinctive phases. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 209. | FNA vol. 17, p. 208. | ||||||||
Parent taxa | ||||||||||
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Synonyms | P. cinereus, P. cinereus subsp. foliatus, P. decurvus, P. humilis var. desereticus | |||||||||
Name authority | unknown | Nuttall ex A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 69. (1862) — (as Pentstemon) | ||||||||
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