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Steptoe Valley beardtongue, Steptoe Valley penstemon

bluemist penstemon, Front Range beardtongue, green beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, 10–40 cm, puberulent or retrorsely hairy proximally, rarely glabrous, 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;

basal and proximal cauline 20–102 × 4–15 mm, blade lanceolate to oblanceolate or spatulate, base tapered, margins serrulate or denticulate, sometimes entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline (2 or)3–5 pairs, sessile, 18–50(–70) × 3–14 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins serrulate or denticulate, sometimes entire, apex acute to 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 or continuous, cylindric, 5–18 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–6(–8), cymes 2–5-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 6–40 × 2–10 mm, margins entire or serrulate to denticulate;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, puberulent or 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, 2–4.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to light purple or violet, with reddish purple to bluish purple nectar guides, funnelform, 10–16(–18) mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately white-pilose internally abaxially, tube 4–5 mm, throat 3–5 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent to opposite, navicular, 0.6–0.8 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or ± papillate;

staminode 8–10 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 4–5 mm moderately to densely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 1.3 mm;

style 8–11 mm.

Capsules

8–12 × 4–6 mm.

5–7 × 2–3 mm, glabrous.

Seeds

2–4 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon immanifestus

Penstemon virens

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Sandy or sandy-loam soils, sagebrush grasslands. Rocky or gravelly soils, shortgrass prairies, foothills, and mountain meadows.
Elevation 1500–2200 m. (4900–7200 ft.) 1600–2600 m. (5200–8500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; WY
[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.)

Penstemon virens is known in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains from Raton Mesa in south-central Colorado to the eastern Sierra Madre and Medicine Bow and Laramie mountains of southeastern Wyoming.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 120. FNA vol. 17, p. 226.
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. 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. 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) Pennell ex Rydberg: Fl. Rocky Mts., 773, 1066. (1917) — (as Pentstemon)
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