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shining penstemon, wax-leaf beardtongue, waxleaf penstemon

cobaea beardtongue, cobaea penstemon

Stems

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

retrorsely ascending to erect, (15–)25–65(–100) cm, puberulent proximally, glandular-pubescent distally.

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.

basal and cauline, sometimes basal absent or withering, ± leathery or not, glabrous or puberulent to pubescent;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, 35–120(–150) × 8–55(–76) mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins subentire or serrate to dentate, apex rounded to acute;

cauline 4–8 pairs, sessile, 35–120(–150) × 10–45(–54) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to cordate-clasping, margins subentire to serrate or dentate, apex acute, rarely obtuse.

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.

interrupted or continuous, cylindric, 10–30(–52) cm, axis densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–6(–8), cymes 2–6-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts ovate, 20–78 × 8–74 mm;

peduncles and pedicels densely 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 ovate to lanceolate, (8–)10–16 × 2.5–4.5 mm, densely glandular-pubescent;

corolla white to pink or violet to purple, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose-ampliate, 35–55 mm, glandular-pubescent internally, tube 10–14 mm, throat abruptly inflated, slightly constricted at orifice, (15–)18–25 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 1.3–1.6 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures smooth;

staminode 23–30 mm, included or barely exserted, 0.6–0.9 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 20–25 mm sparsely to moderately villous, hairs white or golden yellow, to 3.5 mm;

style 18–34 mm.

Capsules

9–13 × 5–8 mm.

13–18 × 8–10 mm.

Penstemon nitidus

Penstemon cobaea

Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; ND; SD; WY; AB; BC; MB; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; AZ; CO; IA; IL; KS; MO; NE; NM; OH; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon cobaea occurs widely in the central and southern Great Plains and into the Ozark Plateau. The species is a popular ornamental used in the breeding of the European or large-flowered hybrids of Penstemon (D. Lindgren and E. Wilde 2003). A chromosome count of n = 32 (R. Piotrowska 1934) appears doubtful.

(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
1. Corollas white to pink.
var. cobaea
1. Corollas violet to purple.
var. purpureus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 122. FNA vol. 17, p. 131.
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. 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. 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. 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
P. cobaea var. cobaea, P. cobaea var. purpureus
Name authority Douglas ex Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 323. (1846) — (as Pentstemon) Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 5: 182. (1835) — (as Pentstemon)
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