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larch-leaf beardtongue

cordroot beardtongue, mountain beardtongue, mountain penstemon

Habit Plants cespitose. Herbs or subshrubs, sometimes cespitose.
Stems

erect, 10–30 cm, glabrous or puberulent.

ascending to erect, 6–30 cm, pubescent, sometimes retrorsely hairy proximally and glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

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.

deciduous, 4–7 pairs, distals seldom distinctly smaller than proximals, short-petiolate or sessile, 9–35(–56) × 7–17(–28) mm, blade obovate to oblanceolate, ovate, lanceolate, or elliptic, base tapered, cuneate, or cordate-clasping, margins entire, subentire, serrate, or dentate, apex obtuse to acute, glabrous, puberulent, or puberulent and glandular-pubescent, glaucous or not.

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, secund, 1–7 cm, axis sparsely to moderately glandular-pubescent, sometimes also pubescent proximally, verticillasters 1–5, cymes 1-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 6–28 × 3–22 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

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 to linear, 8–15 × 1.8–3.5 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender, blue, or violet, unlined internally or lined with faint lavender or blue nectar guides abaxially, not personate, funnelform, 26–33(–39) mm, glabrous externally, moderately to densely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 7–9 mm, throat 8–10 mm diam.;

stamens included, pollen sacs 1.1–1.6 mm;

staminode 11–15 mm, slightly flattened distally, 0.1–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, glabrous or distal 3–6 mm pubescent, hairs white, to 1.4 mm;

style 25–30 mm.

Capsules

4–5 × 2.5–4 mm.

10–14 × 5–7 mm.

Penstemon laricifolius

Penstemon montanus

Distribution
from FNA
CO; MT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; UT; WY
[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 2 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon montanus is known from the Central and Northern Rocky mountains.

(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. Leaf blades puberulent and glandular-pubescent, not glaucous, blade margins serrate to dentate.
var. montanus
1. Leaf blades glabrous or puberulent, usually glaucous, blade margins entire or subentire.
var. idahoensis
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 138. FNA vol. 17, p. 90.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Cristati Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Dasanthera > sect. Erianthera
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. 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. 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. montanus var. idahoensis, P. montanus var. montanus
Name authority Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 376. (1839) — (as Pentstemon) Greene: Pittonia 2: 240. (1892) — (as Pentstemon)
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