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toad-flax beardtongue, toadflax penstemon

Wright's beardtongue

Stems

ascending to erect, 8–50 cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed or white, scalelike.

ascending to erect, (30–)40–70(–130) cm, glaucous.

Leaves

not leathery, glabrous, glabrate, or sparsely to densely retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, sometimes appressed, white, scalelike;

cauline 6–12(–20) pairs, petiolate or sessile, 4–26 × 0.5–3.5 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate or linear, base tapered to truncate, apex mucronate.

glabrous, glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 45–125 × 12–45 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 4–6 pairs, sessile or proximals sometimes short-petiolate, (35–)50–70(–100) × 15–40(–50) mm, blade oblong to elliptic, oblanceolate, or ovate, base tapered to auriculate-clasping or cordate-clasping, margins entire, apex rounded to acute.

Thyrses

continuous or interrupted, ± secund, 3–17 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–9(–12), cymes 1 or 2(or 3)-flowered, 1(or 2) per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 6–25 × 0.7–1 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, and sparsely glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, cylindric, 10–72 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 6–17, cymes 3–8-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 8–40 × 3–20 mm;

peduncles and pedicels erect, glabrous or pedicels sparsely glandular-pubescent distally.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, rarely lanceolate, 4–7(–9) × 2–3 mm, broadly scarious-margined, apex acute to acuminate, glandular-pubescent, hairs pointed;

corolla blue or lavender, lined internally abaxially with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose-ampliate, 16–20 mm, moderately white- or yellowish villous internally abaxially, tube 5–6 mm, throat abruptly inflated, 5.5–8 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or slightly exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.9–1.3 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 6–8 mm, exserted, flattened distally, 0.3–0.5 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 1–5 mm densely pilose, hairs yellow or golden yellow, to 1.2 mm, rest of distal 1–7 mm glabrous or sparsely to moderately pilose;

style 10–11 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3.5–6 × 1.5–2.2 mm, margins erose, sparsely glandular-pubescent, especially along margins;

corolla red to pink, without nectar guides, bilaterally symmetric, bilabiate, tubular-funnelform to ventricose, 14–19 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glandular-pubescent internally, tube 3–6 mm, throat abruptly inflated, 6–7 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs explanate, 0.9–1.2 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 8–10 mm, flattened distally, 0.6–1 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 2–7 mm sparsely to densely pilose, hairs yellow, to 1.2 mm;

style 8–11 mm.

Capsules

5–9 × 3.5–5 mm.

6–12 × 4–7 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon linarioides

Penstemon wrightii

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Rocky canyons and hillsides.
Elevation 900–1800 m. (3000–5900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).

Penstemon linarioides is widespread and highly variable. D. D. Keck (1937) recognized seven subspecies on the basis of habit, pubescence, leaf shape, and staminode bearding. Some of the variation on which those subspecies are based appears to be clinal or too variable within or among regional populations to be of taxonomic value.

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

Penstemon wrightii is known from the mountains of the Trans-Pecos of western Texas. Populations are known from Brewster, Jeff Davis, Presidio, and Reeves counties.

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

Key
1. Leaves glabrous, glabrate, retrorsely hairy, or pubescent, hairs pointed.
var. sileri
1. Leaves sparsely to densely retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike.
→ 2
2. Cauline leaf blades oblanceolate, distals sometimes lanceolate, 1.5–3.5 mm wide.
var. maguirei
2. Cauline leaf blades oblanceolate to linear, 0.5–2 mm wide.
→ 3
3. Staminodes: distal 3–5 mm densely pilose, hairs golden yellow or yellow, to 1 mm, rest of distal 1–4 mm sparsely to moderately pilose.
var. linarioides
3. Staminodes: distal 1 mm densely pilose, hairs yellow, to 0.8 mm, rest of distal 3–4 mm glabrous or sparsely pilose (with much shorter hairs).
var. coloradoensis
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 103. FNA vol. 17, p. 155.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Caespitosi Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Gentianoides
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. lentus, P. leonardii, 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. 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. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Subordinate taxa
P. linarioides var. coloradoensis, P. linarioides var. linarioides, P. linarioides var. maguirei, P. linarioides var. sileri
Name authority A. Gray: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 112. (1859) — (as Pentstemon) Hooker: Bot. Mag. 77: plate 4601. (1851) — (as Pentstemon)
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