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

superb beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, 30–140(–160) cm, 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.

glabrous, glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 40–160 × 14–40 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 3–8 pairs, sessile, (17–)44–115 × (4–)23–45 mm, blade ovate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered to cordate-clasping to connate-perfoliate, margins entire, apex rounded or 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, cylindric, (15–)30–60(–90) cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 9–12(–20), cymes (1–)3–9-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 11–55 × 4–30 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous or pedicels sparsely 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 to lanceolate, 2.8–5 × 1.5–2.1 mm, margins entire or erose, sparsely glandular-pubescent proximally, sometimes glabrous;

corolla orangish pink to red, without nectar guides, nearly radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate, tubular-funnelform, 17–22 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glandular-pubescent internally abaxially, tube 5–7 mm, throat slightly inflated, 4–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs explanate, 1–1.5 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 8–11 mm, flattened distally, 0.6–1 mm diam., tip straight, distal 2–3 mm retrorsely hairy, hairs yellow or whitish, to 1.5 mm;

style 10–11 mm.

Capsules

4–6 × 2.5–4.5 mm, glabrous.

10–13 × 5–8 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon ovatus

Penstemon superbus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jun.
Habitat Open rocky slopes and woods. Gravelly or rocky canyons, slopes, washes, desert grasslands, pinyon-juniper and oak woodlands.
Elevation 10–900 m. (0–3000 ft.) 900–1800 m. (3000–5900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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 superbus is known from Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, and Pima counties, Arizona, Grant and Hidalgo counties, New Mexico, and in adjacent Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico. The species resembles P. parryi; it differs by broader leaves and corollas that are orangish pink to red, more nearly radially symmetric, and without white hairs abaxially in the throats. Penstemon superbus also resembles P. alamosensis, which is known from New Mexico and Texas to the east of P. superbus. The glabrous staminode of P. alamosensis distinguishes it from P. superbus.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 214. FNA vol. 17, p. 154.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Gentianoides
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. 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. 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
Synonyms P. puniceus
Name authority Douglas: Bot. Mag. 56: plate 2903. (1829) — (as Pentstemon) A. Nelson: Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 17: 100. (1904) — (as Pentstemon)
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