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broad-leaf penstemon, egg-leaf beardtongue, ovate-leaf beardtongue

short-sepal beardtongue

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, (20–)30–100 cm, puberulent to pubescent, sometimes glabrous, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 22–60 cm, retrorsely hairy and glandular-pubescent or glandular-villous, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, puberulent to pubescent, sometimes only along midvein and margins;

basal and proximal cauline 40–150(–230) × 14–50(–70) mm, blade ovate to deltate-ovate, base truncate to tapered, margins serrate-dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline (3–)5–7 pairs, sessile, 25–80(–120) × 15–45(–70) mm, blade oblong to ovate or triangular-ovate, base clasping, margins serrate, apex acute.

basal and cauline, basal sometimes withering by anthesis, not leathery, sparsely to densely pubescent, usually also sparsely glandular-hairy, abaxially, glabrous or sparsely pubescent adaxially;

basal and proximal cauline 20–95 × 11–28 mm, blade spatulate to obovate or ovate, base tapered, margins subentire to ± serrate, apex rounded to obtuse;

cauline 4 or 5, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 35–95 × 11–32 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate or oblanceolate, base tapered to truncate or clasping, margins ± serrate or dentate, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, narrowly conic, 6–30 cm, axis densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–10, cymes 5–13-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 11–35(–70) × 4–30(–45) mm, margins serrate, sometimes entire;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, densely glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, conic, (4–)8–20 cm, axis sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–8, cymes 5–16-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 7–50 × 2–20 mm, margins entire or serrate;

peduncles and pedicles spreading to ascending, sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, (2–)3–5 × 0.9–1.6(–1.9) mm, margins narrowly scarious, sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to blue or purple, with reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform, 15–22 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, densely white-villous internally abaxially, rarely glabrous, tube 5–6 mm, throat slightly inflated, 5–7 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.8–1.1 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or papillate;

staminode 9–12 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 1–2 mm densely pilose, hairs yellow, to 1.5 mm;

style 9–12 mm.

calyx lobes ovate, rarely lanceolate, (1.5–)2–3.5 × 0.9–2.2 mm, sparsely glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender to purple, with reddish purple nectar guides, tubular to tubular-funnelform, 15–24 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, ± whitish lanate internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat slightly inflated, 4–7 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.9–1.1 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 12–18 mm, exserted, 0.3–0.5 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 8–9 mm ± villous, hairs yellow or golden yellow, to 1.5 mm;

style 12–17 mm.

Capsules

4–6 × 2.5–4.5 mm, glabrous.

4–7 × 3–5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon ovatus

Penstemon brevisepalus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Open rocky slopes and woods. Rocky oak-hickory forests, bluffs, roadcuts.
Elevation 10–900 m. (0–3000 ft.) 200–700 m. (700–2300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
KY; TN; VA; WV
Discussion

Penstemon ovatus is known in the Cascade Mountains from Multnomah County, Oregon, to southwestern British Columbia. The species is easily confused with the more eastern P. wilcoxii, which has a less glandular inflorescence. Herbarium specimens of P. ovatus also sometimes are misidentified as P. serrulatus, which has an eglandular inflorescence and saccate pollen sacs.

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

Penstemon brevisepalus has not been widely recognized in the literature or herbaria, usually being synonymized with P. canescens or P. pallidus. Penstemon brevisepalus combines features of P. canescens and P. pallidus, and its range lies between the ranges of those two species, with little overlap. In addition to calyx lobe length and corolla color, P. brevisepalus usually has more open inflorescences and cauline leaf margins that are more finely and regularly toothed compared to P. pallidus. Plants with pink- or lavender-tinged corollas occasionally occur in P. pallidus, and individuals with short calyx lobes (2–3 mm) also are encountered infrequently; they may be the sources of reports of P. brevisepalus elsewhere (for example, Georgia, Illinois, and Ohio).

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 214. FNA vol. 17, p. 196.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon 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. neomexicanus, P. neotericus, P. newberryi, P. nitidus, P. nudiflorus, P. oklahomensis, P. oliganthus, P. ophianthus, P. osterhoutii, 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. 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 Douglas: Bot. Mag. 56: plate 2903. (1829) — (as Pentstemon) Pennell: in J. K. Small, Man. S.E. Fl., 1204, 1508. (1933)
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