The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

thick-leaf beardtongue, thickleaf penstemon

cobaea beardtongue, cobaea penstemon

Stems

ascending to erect, (10–)15–57 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 18–180 × 5–45(–53) mm, blade spatulate to lanceolate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse, acute, or mucronate;

cauline 2–5 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 15–80 × 7–32 mm, blade obovate, ovate, oblanceolate, or lanceolate, base tapered, clasping, or cordate-clasping, apex acute to rounded or 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

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, (5–)9–27 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (2–)4–10, cymes (1–)3–6-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate or oblong, 9–46 × 7–15 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous, peduncles to 26 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, (2.5–)4–7 × 1.8–2.8 mm, margins entire or erose, broadly scarious, apex acute to acuminate or caudate, glabrous;

corolla blue to violet, sometimes lavender, with or without reddish violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform to ventricose, 12–20 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally or sparsely white-villous abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, (0.7–)1–1.5 mm, sutures smooth or papillate;

staminode 8–12 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, (0.2–)0.5–2 mm diam., tip recurved, prominently bifurcate, distal 4–8 mm densely villous, hairs yellow to golden yellow, to 2.5 mm;

style 11–15 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

10–14 × 5–7 mm.

13–18 × 8–10 mm.

Seeds

2–3 mm.

Penstemon pachyphyllus

Penstemon cobaea

Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NV; UT
[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).

E. C. Neese (1993) considered Penstemon mucronatus transitional to P. pachyphyllus var. pachyphyllus in northeastern Utah. Penstemon mucronatus is distinguished from P. pachyphyllus var. pachyphyllus by its narrower staminodes bearing shorter, less tangled hairs, and its nectar guides extending onto the corolla limbs.

The Havasupai tribe of northwestern Arizona uses leaves of Penstemon pachyphyllus to make a deer call for hunting (D. E. Moerman 1998).

(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. Staminodes 8–9 × 1–2 mm, distal 6–8 mm densely villous, hairs to 2.5 mm; Utah.
var. pachyphyllus
1. Staminodes 10–12 × (0.2–)0.5–1 mm, distal 4–7 mm densely villous, hairs to 1.5 mm; Arizona, Nevada, Utah.
var. congestus
1. Corollas white to pink.
var. cobaea
1. Corollas violet to purple.
var. purpureus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 123. 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. nitidus, P. nudiflorus, P. oklahomensis, P. oliganthus, P. ophianthus, P. osterhoutii, P. ovatus, 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. pachyphyllus var. congestus, P. pachyphyllus var. pachyphyllus
P. cobaea var. cobaea, P. cobaea var. purpureus
Synonyms P. nitidus var. major
Name authority A. Gray ex Rydberg: Fl. Rocky Mts., 770, 1066. (1917) — (as Pentstemon) Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 5: 182. (1835) — (as Pentstemon)
Web links