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gay penstemon, mountain blue penstemon, western gray beardtongue

Navajo beardtongue, Navajo Mountain beardtongue

Habit Herbs or subshrubs.
Stems

decumbent to ascending or erect, 15–90 cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 15–65 cm, glabrous, not glaucous.

Leaves

cauline, opposite, puberulent or retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, sometimes glabrate, not glaucous;

cauline 4–8 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 13–85(–110) × 2–22 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate or linear, base tapered to truncate, margins entire, apex acute.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 12–80 × 4–10(–15) mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse, or acute;

cauline 3 or 4 pairs, sessile, 12–50(–75) × 1–5 mm, blade oblanceolate to linear, base tapered, apex acute to acuminate.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, 10–30(–43) cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 6–12, cymes 1–5-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, rarely linear, 9–40 × 2–10 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, secund, 2–25(–47) cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 4–14, cymes 1- or 2(or 3)-flowered, 1 or 2 per node;

proximal bracts linear, 6–15(–68) × 1–2 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–11 × 1–2.8 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to blue or purple, with or without violet nectar guides, funnelform to ampliate, 21–35 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally, tube 6–9 mm, throat gradually inflated, 8–10 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs parallel, 1.8–2.8 mm, distal 1/5–1/3 indehiscent, sides pubescent to lanate, hairs white, to 1 mm near filament attachment, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.3 mm;

staminode 17–19 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.5–0.6 mm diam., glabrous;

style 16–22 mm.

calyx lobes ovate, 2.6–4 × 1.5–2.2 mm, glabrous;

corolla blue to lavender, with faint reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose, 18–23(–25) mm, glabrous externally, sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 7–9 mm, throat gradually to abruptly inflated, not constricted at orifice, 7–10 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens reaching orifice or longer pair slightly exserted, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1.2–1.8 mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/5 sometimes indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides lanate, rarely glabrous, hairs white, to 0.9 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 9–11 mm, reaching orifice, 0.5–0.7 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous;

style 12–17 mm.

Capsules

7–9 × 4–6 mm.

6.9–13 × 4.5–6.5 mm.

Penstemon laetus

Penstemon navajoa

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Rocky ponderosa pine, aspen, Douglas fir, and subalpine fir forests.
Elevation 2500–3200 m. (8200–10500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon laetus occurs from the Cascade Range of south-central Oregon south through the Sierra Nevada of California to the Western Transverse Ranges of southwestern California. The species comprises three partially sympatric varieties.

The Karuk tribe of northwestern California use an infusion of Penstemon laetus as a psychological aid (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Penstemon navajoa is known from the Abajo Mountains, upper Dark Canyon, and Navajo Mountain in San Juan County.

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

Key
1. Calyx lobes lanceolate, 7–11 × 1–2 mm.
var. leptosepalus
1. Calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–8.5 × 1–2.8 mm.
→ 2
2. Anthers ovate to elliptic in outline, pollen sacs 1.8–2.3 mm.
var. laetus
2. Anthers sagittate in outline, pollen sacs 2.1–2.8 mm.
var. sagittatus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 236. FNA vol. 17, p. 173.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera 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. 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. 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. 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. laetus var. laetus, P. laetus var. leptosepalus, P. laetus var. sagittatus
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 7: 147. (1859) — (as Pentstemon) N. H. Holmgren: Brittonia 30: 419, fig. 3. (1978)
Web links