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shining penstemon, wax-leaf beardtongue, waxleaf penstemon

fir-leaf beardtongue

Stems

ascending to erect, (5–)9–40 cm, glabrous.

ascending to erect, 5–15(–23) cm, retrorsely hairy or puberulent, hairs pointed.

Leaves

basal and cauline, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 15–140 × 2–27 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes rounded or mucronate;

cauline 2–4(–6) pairs, sessile, (11–)18–85 × (3–)5–28(–32) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base clasping or cordate-clasping, apex acuminate to acute, sometimes mucronate.

not leathery, puberulent proximally, hairs pointed, sometimes only along margins, glabrous distally;

cauline 2–7 pairs, petiolate or sessile, 7–17(–25) × 0.7–1.3(–1.7) mm, blade linear, rarely oblanceolate, base tapered, apex acute to mucronate.

Thyrses

± interrupted, cylindric, (2–)5–20 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (2–)4–10, cymes 2–5-flowered;

proximal bracts orbiculate to ovate or lanceolate, 19–70 × 7–28 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous, peduncles to 3 mm.

continuous, secund, 2–8 cm, axis retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, and, sometimes, sparsely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 2–10, cymes 1–3(or 4)-flowered, 1(or 2) per node;

proximal bracts linear, 11–21 × 1–1.4 mm;

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

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3–7.5 × (0.8–)1.2–1.8 mm, margins entire or erose, narrowly scarious, glabrous;

corolla blue to violet, with reddish violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, (10–)13–15(–18) mm, glabrous externally, glabrous or sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice to slightly exserted, pollen sacs opposite, 0.7–1.2 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 8–11 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, 0.8–1.5 mm diam., tip strongly recurved, distal 3–4 mm densely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 1.5 mm, hairs on proximal part of staminode mostly along margins;

style 8–10 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 4–5.5 × 1–1.6 mm, broadly scarious-margined, apex acuminate to caudate, sparsely glandular-pubescent, sometimes glabrate;

corolla blue to bluish violet, lined internally abaxially with reddish violet nectar guides, funnelform, 12–15(–18) mm, glabrous or sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 5–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 6–7 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs widely divergent or opposite, navicular, 0.8–1.1 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 6–8 mm, included, flattened distally, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 6–7 mm densely pilose, hairs golden yellow, to 1.1 mm;

style 11–13 mm.

Capsules

9–13 × 5–8 mm.

4.5–7 × 2.8–3.5 mm.

Penstemon nitidus

Penstemon abietinus

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Limestone-derived soils in pinyon-juniper and oak-juniper woodlands.
Elevation 1800–2600 m. (5900–8500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; ND; SD; WY; AB; BC; MB; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Some specimens of Penstemon nitidus from western Montana are referable to variety with difficulty.

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

Penstemon abietinus is known from Emery, Iron, Sevier, and Utah counties. It bears a strong resemblance to erect varieties of P. crandallii in habit, leaf shape and pubescence, and corolla shape.

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

Key
1. Proximal bracts orbiculate to ovate, rarely lanceolate; calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3–6.5 mm; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming.
var. nitidus
1. Proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate; calyx lobes lanceolate, (3.2–)5–7.5 mm; Idaho, Montana.
var. polyphyllus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 122. FNA vol. 17, p. 99.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Caespitosi
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. neomexicanus, P. neotericus, P. newberryi, 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. 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. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Subordinate taxa
P. nitidus var. nitidus, P. nitidus var. polyphyllus
Name authority Douglas ex Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 323. (1846) — (as Pentstemon) Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 376. (1920)
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