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Steptoe Valley beardtongue, Steptoe Valley penstemon

crested beardtongue, crested-tongue beardtongue, crested-tongue penstemon, fuzzy-tongue penstemon

Stems

ascending to erect, 9–30(–35) cm, glabrous.

ascending to erect, (2–)6–60 cm, retrorsely hairy, sometimes also villous or glandular-villous, or glabrate.

Leaves

basal and cauline, basal not reduced, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 15–60(–90) × 8–25(–39) mm, blade oblanceolate to obovate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse, sometimes mucronate;

cauline 3–7 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, (25–)35–80 × 10–20(–28) mm, blade lanceolate to ovate, base tapered to clasping, apex obtuse to acute.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or glabrate to retrorsely hairy and, sometimes, sparsely villous abaxially, glabrous or glabrate to retrorsely hairy and, sometimes, villous or glandular-villous adaxially;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, (14–)22–130(–180) × 3–30(–40) mm, blade spatulate to obovate, oblanceolate, elliptic, or linear, base tapered, margins entire or ± dentate to serrate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 2–6 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 18–90 × 3–20(–25) mm, blade oblanceolate to oblong, lanceolate, or linear, base tapered to clasping or cordate-clasping, margins entire or ± dentate to serrate, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, (4–)6–20 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (3–)5–10(–14), cymes 2–5-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, (5–)13–56 × (2–)4–24 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous, peduncles to 12 mm.

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, (1–)2–20(–27) cm, axis glandular-pubescent to glandular-villous, sometimes also retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 2–7(–9), cymes (1 or)2–6-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts oblanceolate to oblong or lanceolate, 12–75 × 2–23 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-villous or glandular-pubescent and, sometimes, also retrorsely hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, 5–8(–12) × 2–3.5 mm, margins entire or erose, broadly scarious, apex acuminate, glabrous;

corolla bluish lavender to lavender or pink, with dark reddish violet or reddish nectar guides, funnelform to ventricose, 15–22 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely white-villous internally abaxially or glabrous, tube 5–7 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, (1–)1.2–1.6 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 8–10 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.7–1 mm diam., tip strongly recurved, distal 2–5 mm densely villous, hairs yellowish, brownish, or orangish, to 1 mm;

style 10–12 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 5.5–13 × 1.4–3 mm, glandular-pubescent to glandular-villous;

corolla lavender to violet, purple, pink, or blue, with reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform or ventricose-ampliate, 16–35(–42) mm, sparsely to densely white- or yellow-villous internally abaxially, sometimes glandular-pubescent laterally, tube 4–9 mm, throat gradually to abruptly inflated, constricted or not at orifice, 6–14 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs widely divergent to opposite, navicular to subexplanate or explanate, 0.8–1.9 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures smooth or papillate;

staminode 12–18 mm, exserted or prominently exserted, 0.3–0.9 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 6–15 mm sparsely to densely lanate, hairs yellow, yellowish, or orangish, to 4 mm, and medial hairs shorter, stiffer, and retrorse;

style 9–20 mm, glabrous or proximal 1–10 mm sparsely glandular-pubescent.

Capsules

8–12 × 4–6 mm.

6–13 × 4–6 mm, sparsely glandular-pubescent distally.

Seeds

2–4 mm.

Penstemon immanifestus

Penstemon eriantherus

Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Sandy or sandy-loam soils, sagebrush grasslands.
Elevation 1500–2200 m. (4900–7200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; ND; NE; OR; SD; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon immanifestus occurs along the western edge of the Bonneville Basin in eastern Nevada and western Utah, and in the Calcareous Mountains, central Great Basin, and Tonopah regions of eastern and central Nevada. Populations have been documented in Elko, Eureka, Lander, Nye, and White Pine counties, Nevada, and in Juab, Millard, and Tooele counties, Utah.

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

Varieties 5 (5 in the flora).

D. D. Keck (1938) treated this complex as three species: Penstemon cleburnei, P. eriantherus (with three varieties), and P. whitedii (with three subspecies). Most authors followed A. Cronquist (1959), who employed a broader species concept; the approach by Cronquist is followed here.

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

Key
1. Corollas constricted at orifices; styles 9–12(–14) mm; pollen sacs 0.8–1.2 mm.
var. cleburnei
1. Corollas not constricted at orifices; styles 9–20 mm; pollen sacs 1–1.9 mm.
→ 2
2. Stems glabrate or retrorsely hairy, rarely glandular-villous, proximally, glandular-villous distally; leaves glabrous or glabrate abaxially, glabrate or villous to glandular-villous adaxially.
var. whitedii
2. Stems retrorsely hairy and, sometimes, sparsely villous, glandular-villous, or glandular-pubescent distally; leaves retrorsely hairy and, sometimes, sparsely villous or glabrous abaxially, retrorsely hairy or puberulent and, sometimes, villous or glandular-villous adaxially.
→ 3
3. Corollas funnelform; staminodes sparsely lanate distally; leaves glabrous abaxially.
var. argillosus
3. Corollas ventricose-ampliate; staminodes moderately to densely lanate distally; leaves retrorsely hairy, sparsely villous, or glabrous abaxially.
→ 4
4. Pollen sacs explanate; stems retrorsely hairy and, usually, sparsely villous or glandular-villous distally; corollas (20–)22–35(–42) mm.
var. eriantherus
4. Pollen sacs navicular to subexplanate; stems retrorsely hairy, sometimes also glandular-pubescent distally or wholly; corollas 18–25 mm.
var. redactus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 120. FNA vol. 17, p. 133.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Cristati
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. harbourii, P. harringtonii, P. havardii, P. haydenii, P. heterodoxus, P. heterophyllus, P. hirsutus, P. humilis, P. idahoensis, 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. eriantherus var. argillosus, P. eriantherus var. cleburnei, P. eriantherus var. eriantherus, P. eriantherus var. redactus, P. eriantherus var. whitedii
Name authority N. H. Holmgren: Brittonia 30: 334, fig. 1. (1978) Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 737. (1813) — (as Pentstemon erianthera)
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