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larch-leaf beardtongue

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

Habit Plants cespitose.
Stems

erect, 10–30 cm, glabrous or puberulent.

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

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous, rarely puberulent proximally, especially along margins;

basal and proximal cauline sessile, 15–20(–40) × 0.5–1.5 mm, blade linear, base tapered to ± clasping, margins entire, apex acute;

cauline 3–7 pairs, sessile, 11–35 × 0.3–1 mm, blade linear, base tapered to ± clasping, margins entire, apex 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, 3–15 cm, axis glabrous or retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 3–7, cymes 1- or 2(or 3)-flowered, 1 or 2 per node;

proximal bracts linear, 10–30 × 0.3–1 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous, rarely puberulent.

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, 3.5–5.8 × 1.3–2.2 mm, glabrous;

corolla white or pink to violet or purple, without nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 9–18 mm, glabrous externally, moderately yellow-villous internally abaxially, tube 4–5 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted, 5–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1–1.5 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures papillate;

staminode 7–11 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.5–0.7 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 3–5 mm pilose, hairs yellow or yellow-orange, to 1 mm;

style 9–12 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

4–5 × 2.5–4 mm.

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

Penstemon laricifolius

Penstemon eriantherus

Distribution
from FNA
CO; MT; WY
[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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Molecular data (A. D. Wolfe et al. 2006; C. A. Wessinger et al. 2016) place Penstemon laricifolius with or near sect. Cristati. Two varieties, differentiated by corolla color, are difficult to distinguish in the herbarium, where corollas are usually brown. Populations with a mix of white, pink, and purple corollas have been documented in Wyoming (B. L. Heidel and J. Handley 2007).

(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 pink to violet or purple, 10–18 mm; Montana, Wyoming.
var. laricifolius
1. Corollas white, 9–15 mm; Colorado, Wyoming.
var. exilifolius
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. 138. FNA vol. 17, p. 133.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Cristati 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. laetus, P. laevigatus, P. laevis, P. lanceolatus, 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. laricifolius var. exilifolius, P. laricifolius var. laricifolius
P. eriantherus var. argillosus, P. eriantherus var. cleburnei, P. eriantherus var. eriantherus, P. eriantherus var. redactus, P. eriantherus var. whitedii
Name authority Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 376. (1839) — (as Pentstemon) Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 737. (1813) — (as Pentstemon erianthera)
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