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New Mexico beardtongue

dark beardtongue, Whipple's beardtongue, Whipple's penstemon

Habit Herbs.
Stems

erect, sometimes ascending, 30–63 cm, glabrous, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, (8–)20–65(–100) cm, glabrous or ± puberulent proximally, ± puberulent or glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, or basal absent, not leathery, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 30–90(–116) × 5–26 mm, blade oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 6–12 pairs, sessile, 25–113 × 3–13 mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered to truncate, apex obtuse to acute.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 40–90(–130) × (5–)10–30(–75) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate or elliptic, base tapered to cuneate, margins entire or ± repand, denticulate, or dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–5 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 25–60(–85) × 3–15(–25) mm, blade lanceolate to oblanceolate, base tapered to clasping or cordate-clasping, margins entire, sometimes ± repand to denticulate, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

continuous, sometimes interrupted, secund, 16–30 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 7–11, cymes 1–4-flowered, (1 or)2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 10–72 × 1–12 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

interrupted or continuous, secund, (2–)5–35 cm, axis sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 2–5(–7), cymes 2–4-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 11–85 × 1–18 mm, margins entire or ± repand proximally;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate to elliptic, 3–5 × 2–2.6 mm, glabrous;

corolla lavender to violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose, 26–34 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely to densely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 7–8 mm, throat gradually to abruptly inflated, not constricted at orifice, 7–10 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair exserted, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1.4–1.9 mm, dehiscing completely, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or papillate;

staminode 14–16 mm, reaching orifice or exserted, 1–1.2 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous;

style 14–18 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 7–10 × 1–2.2 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla brownish purple to bluish violet, sometimes ochroleucous, lavender, or white, with alternating white or lavender and purple nectar guides in dark-colored forms, with lavender nectar guides in light-colored forms, ventricose to ventricose-ampliate, 20–27(–30) mm, glandular-pubescent externally, sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 5–8 mm, throat abruptly inflated, 8–10 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 1–1.4 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 12–15 mm, reaching orifice or exserted, 0.6–1.1 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 1–3 mm sparsely to densely villous, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 12–16 mm.

Capsules

9–14 × 5–6 mm.

6–9 × 4–5 mm, glandular-puberulent distally.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon neomexicanus

Penstemon whippleanus

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jun–Aug(–Sep).
Habitat Slopes and clearings in pine, pine-spruce, and spruce-fir forests. Rocky slopes in subalpine forests, alpine meadows.
Elevation 1800–2700 m. (5900–8900 ft.) 2100–3700 m. (6900–12100 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
NM; Mexico (Chihuahua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MT; NM; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon neomexicanus is known from the Capitan, Sacramento, and White mountains in Lincoln and Otero counties. The species is also known from a single historic collection from near Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua. G. T. Nisbet and R. C. Jackson (1960) suggested that some plants from northern Lincoln and southern Torrance counties might be hybrids between P. neomexicanus and P. virgatus. Specimens from the vicinity of the Gallinas Mountains are referred here to P. neomexicanus.

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

Penstemon whippleanus is known from forests and meadows of the Southern and Central Rocky mountains and westward into the Wasatch Mountains and Utah Plateaus. Plants with light-colored corollas often are found growing next to plants with dark-colored corollas.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 173. FNA vol. 17, p. 227.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon
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. murrayanus, P. nanus, P. navajoa, 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. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Name authority Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 172. (1913) — (as Pentstemon) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 73. (1862) — (as Pentstemon)
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