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mesa penstemon, tiger beardtongue, tiger or Grand Mesa beardtongue

Gorman's beardtongue, Gorman's penstemon

Stems

erect, 25–90 cm, glabrous, slightly glaucous or not.

ascending to erect, (6–)10–30(–65) cm, glabrous proximally, glandular-pubescent to glandular-villous distally.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 28–145 × 4–30 mm, blade oblong to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex acute;

cauline 2–4(or 5) pairs, sessile, rarely short-petiolate, 20–135 × 4–31 mm, blade lanceolate, proximals sometimes oblanceolate, base tapered to cordate-clasping, apex acute to acuminate.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or distal cauline sometimes glabrous abaxially, glandular-pubescent adaxially;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, (18–)35–100 × (2–)3–10 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire or obscurely serrate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 2–4 pairs, sessile, 15–68 × 2–16 mm, blade oblong to lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins entire or obscurely serrate, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, secund, 10–56 cm, axis ± glandular-pubescent at least distally, verticillasters 4–12, cymes (1 or)2–6-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 10–58 × 10–85 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent, sometimes sparsely so.

continuous or ± interrupted, cylindric, (1–)3–15 cm, axis glandular-villous, verticillasters 2–6, cymes (1 or)2–5-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, (5–)10–56 × (1–)3–10 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes oblong-ovate, 3.5–5.8 × 1.2–2.1 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to purple or violet, with faint reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose, 16–25 mm, ± glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous or sparsely glandular internally, tube 5–8 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 6–10 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent to nearly opposite, navicular, 0.8–1.4 mm, dehiscing incompletely, connective not splitting, sides sparsely to moderately hispid, hairs white or yellowish, to 0.2 mm, sutures papillate or denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 9–11 mm, included, 0.4–0.5 mm diam., tip straight, distal 7–9 mm sparsely to moderately villous, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 9–11 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 7–10.5 × 1.4–2.2 mm, glandular-villous;

corolla lavender to purple or bluish violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose, 19–30 mm, sparsely white- or yellowish villous internally abaxially, tube 5–6 mm, throat abruptly inflated, not constricted at orifice, 8–14 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1.3–1.5 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures smooth;

staminode 13–17 mm, prominently exserted, 0.4–0.6 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 2–3 mm sparsely lanate, hairs yellow, to 2 mm, and medial 4–8 mm sparsely to moderately pilose, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 11–14 mm.

Capsules

8–10 × 4–6 mm.

7–10 × 4–5 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon mensarum

Penstemon gormanii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Sagebrush shrublands, openings in aspen woodlands. Rocky slopes, sand dunes, gravelly stream terraces, clearings in forests.
Elevation 2200–3000 m. (7200–9800 ft.) 400–1200 m. (1300–3900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; BC; NT; YT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon mensarum is known from Delta, Gunnison, Mesa, Montrose, and Pitkin counties.

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

Penstemon gormanii resembles P. eriantherus vars. argillosus and whitedii.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 172. FNA vol. 17, p. 136.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri 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. lentus, P. leonardii, P. linarioides, P. longiflorus, P. lyallii, P. marcusii, 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. 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
Name authority Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 380. (1920) Greene: Ottawa Naturalist 16: 39. (1902) — (as Pentstemon gormani)
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