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gay penstemon, mountain blue penstemon, western gray beardtongue

Arizona beardtongue, coiled anther penstemon

Habit Herbs or subshrubs.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, (10–)13–36(–40) cm, glabrous or sparsely retrorsely hairy proximally, sometimes also sparsely glandular-pubescent.

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 sparsely retrorsely hairy along midvein;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, 16–75(–120) × 6–15(–22) mm, blade oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire or sinuate-dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–4 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 25–105 × 2–12 mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire or sinuate-dentate to dentate, apex acute, rarely obtuse.

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 to compact, secund, 6–20 cm, axis densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–9, cymes (1–)3–7-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 12–70 × 2–8 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent.

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 lanceolate, 6–9 × 1.3–2.2 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender to violet, with deep violet nectar guides, ventricose-ampliate, 14–20(–22) mm, moderately white-pilose and glandular-pubescent internally abaxially, tube 5–8 mm, throat abruptly inflated, not constricted at orifice, 7–11 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 0.8–1.2 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures smooth;

staminode 11–13 mm, prominently exserted, 0.7–0.9 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 8–9 mm densely lanate, hairs yellow, to 2 mm, and medial hairs shorter, stiffer, and retrorse;

style 11–13 mm.

Capsules

7–9 × 4–6 mm.

6–11 × 5–6 mm.

Penstemon laetus

Penstemon ophianthus

Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Sandy, gravelly, or clayey soils, sagebrush shrublands, pinyon-juniper and oak woodlands, ponderosa pine forests.
Elevation 1500–2300 m. (4900–7500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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 ophianthus is confused most often with P. jamesii and less often with P. breviculus.

(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. 141.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera 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. 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. navajoa, P. neomexicanus, P. neotericus, P. newberryi, P. nitidus, P. nudiflorus, P. oklahomensis, P. oliganthus, 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
Synonyms P. jamesii subsp. ophianthus
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 7: 147. (1859) — (as Pentstemon) Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 343. (1920)
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