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abajo beardtongue, handsome beardtongue, handsome penstemon

white beardtongue, white penstemon

Stems

ascending to erect, 14–40(–60) cm, glabrous.

ascending to erect, (10–)15–50(–55) cm, retrorsely hairy proximally, glandular-pubescent distally.

Leaves

basal and cauline, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 40–65(–110) × 8–20(–30) mm, blade obovate, base tapered, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes mucronate;

cauline 2–4 pairs, sessile, (9–)12–60 × 7–26 mm, blade lanceolate to ovate or elliptic, base tapered to clasping or cordate-clasping, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes mucronate.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrate or puberulent to scabrous;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, 20–85(–110) × (4–)7–18(–20) mm, blade oblanceolate or obovate to lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire to obscurely or distinctly serrate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–5(or 6) pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 25–65 × (3–)7–19(–21) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins entire or serrate to dentate, apex acute.

Thyrses

interrupted or ± continuous, secund, sometimes cylindric, 5–23 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 4–8, cymes 1–3(or 4)-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, (3–)7–38 × (1–)2–18 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous, peduncles to 28 mm.

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, 4–24(–30) cm, axis densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (2 or)3–10, cymes 2–7-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 17–65 × 3–17 mm;

peduncles and pedicels densely glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 5–6.7(–7.2) × 2–3(–3.7) mm, margins entire or erose, broadly scarious, glabrous;

corolla lavender to violet, blue, pinkish blue, or white, with or without reddish violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 17–20(–22) mm, glabrous externally, sparsely white-villous internally abaxially or glabrous, tube 5–8 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, 1.1–1.6 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 8–9 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, 0.6–1 mm diam., tip strongly recurved, distal 3–4 mm sparsely to densely villous, hairs mostly along margins, yellowish, to 1 mm;

style 10–12 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–7 × 1.5–3 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla white, rarely tinged pink or lavender, with red or reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform, (12–)16–20 mm, glandular-pubescent internally, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, (4–)6–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 0.7–1.1 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures smooth;

staminode 8–9 mm, included, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 3–6 mm sparsely to moderately villous, hairs yellowish, to 1 mm;

style 9–11(–13) mm.

Capsules

9–12 × 5–7 mm.

8–12 × 4–7 mm.

Seeds

3.5–5 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon lentus

Penstemon albidus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul(–Sep).
Habitat Silty or gravelly soils, mixed-grass and shortgrass prairies.
Elevation 300–1800 m. (1000–5900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; IA; KS; MN; MT; ND; NE; NM; OK; SD; TX; WY; AB; MB; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon lentus is found in the Four Corners region of the Colorado Plateau. Reported differences (N. H. Holmgren 1984) between the two varieties in the sizes of the pollen sacs appear to be inconsistent and not taxonomically useful.

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

Penstemon albidus is remarkably uniform throughout its range. It probably is introduced in Ontario.

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

Key
1. Corollas lavender to violet, blue, or pinkish blue; Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah.
var. lentus
1. Corollas white; San Juan County, Utah.
var. albiflorus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 120. FNA vol. 17, p. 128.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei 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. laricifolius, P. laxiflorus, P. laxus, P. leiophyllus, P. lemhiensis, 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. 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. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, P. washingtonensis, P. watsonii, P. whippleanus, P. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Subordinate taxa
P. lentus var. albiflorus, P. lentus var. lentus
Name authority Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 359. (1920) Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 2: 53. (1818) — (as Pentstemon albidum)
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