The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

cup-leaf beardtongue, scarlet beardtongue

white beardtongue, white penstemon

Stems

ascending to erect, 50–100(–150) 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 40–100 × (8–)14–30 mm, blade spatulate to ovate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse, rarely retuse;

cauline 5–9 pairs, sessile, 12–110 × 16–70 mm, blade oblong to ovate, base clasping to connate-perfoliate, apex obtuse to acute.

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, cylindric, 15–50 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 6–10(–16), cymes 1–5-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate, 9–45 × 14–40 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

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 lanceolate, 4.5–7 × 1.8–2.9 mm, margins entire, narrowly scarious, glabrous;

corolla red, without nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 32–36 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 8–11 mm, throat abruptly inflated, 9–12 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens exserted, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 1.3–1.7 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 18–20 mm, exserted, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, glabrous;

style 24–31 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

9–13 × 6–10 mm.

8–12 × 4–7 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon murrayanus

Penstemon albidus

Phenology Flowering Mar–Jun. Flowering Apr–Jul(–Sep).
Habitat Sandy soils, deciduous and pine woodlands, sandhill prairies. Silty or gravelly soils, mixed-grass and shortgrass prairies.
Elevation 10–200 m. (0–700 ft.) 300–1800 m. (1000–5900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; LA; OK; TX
[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

F. S. Crosswhite and C. D. Crosswhite (1981) hypothesized that Penstemon murrayanus was derived from P. grandiflorus, with which it shares many morphologic features. The two species have been crossed artificially, yielding hybrids that once were commercially popular (G. Viehmeyer 1958; R. Nold 1999). Molecular data support the sister relationship of P. murrayanus and P. grandiflorus (C. A. Wessinger et al. 2016).

(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.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 121. 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. 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. 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
Name authority Hooker: Bot. Mag. 63: plate 3472. (1836) — (as Pentstemon) Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 2: 53. (1818) — (as Pentstemon albidum)
Web links