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

Steptoe Valley beardtongue, Steptoe Valley penstemon

Griffin's beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

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

erect, 12–50 cm, retrorsely hairy proximally, becoming glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

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 retrorsely hairy abaxially along midvein and glabrous adaxially, ± glaucescent;

basal and proximal cauline 13–55 × 4–8(–12) mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to acute;

cauline 2–5(or 6) pairs, sessile, 5–40(–52) × 0.3–5 mm, blade linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex acuminate.

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.

interrupted, secund, 1–14 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (1–)3 or 4(or 5), cymes 1–3-flowered, 1(or 2) per node;

proximal bracts linear, 3–15 × 0.3–1.4 mm;

peduncles and pedicels erect, sometimes ascending, glandular-pubescent.

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 ovate to lanceolate, 3.8–7.5 × 1.5–2.6 mm, glabrescent or glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to blue or purple, with violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 17–25 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, densely golden-villous internally abaxially, tube 4–7 mm, throat slightly inflated, 5–7 mm diam., prominently 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent to opposite, navicular, 1–1.3 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 10–13 mm, included, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 7–11 mm densely pilose, hairs golden, to 1.5 mm;

style 12–17 mm.

Capsules

8–12 × 4–6 mm.

6–9 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

Seeds

2–4 mm.

Penstemon immanifestus

Penstemon griffinii

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Sandy or sandy-loam soils, sagebrush grasslands. Rocky hillsides, open coniferous forests, montane grasslands.
Elevation 1500–2200 m. (4900–7200 ft.) 2500–3000 m. (8200–9800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; NM
[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.)

Populations of Penstemon griffinii are documented in Chaffee, Conejos, Fremont, Mineral, Park, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties, Colorado, and Rio Arriba and Taos counties, New Mexico. Penstemon griffinii can be confused with narrow-leaved plants of P. degeneri, but the pubescence on the internal abaxial surfaces of the corollas of P. griffinii is consistently golden-lanate and extends from the abaxial limbs 5–8 mm into the throats of the corollas. In P. degeneri, the internal abaxial surfaces of the corollas are white- or yellow-lanate, sometimes sparsely so, and the indument barely extends into the throats of the corollas.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 120. FNA vol. 17, p. 206.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon
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. 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. 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
Name authority N. H. Holmgren: Brittonia 30: 334, fig. 1. (1978) A. Nelson: Bot. Gaz. 56: 70. (1913) — (as Pentstemon)
Web links