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thick-leaf beardtongue, thickleaf penstemon

low beardtongue, lowly penstemon

Habit Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, (10–)15–57 cm, glabrous.

decumbent to erect, (2–)5–30(–65) cm, retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

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, not leathery, glabrous or retrorsely hairy;

basal and proximal cauline (8–)15–105 × 2–22(–32) mm, blade obovate to ovate or oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, sometimes serrulate or serrate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline (1 or)2–4 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 10–35(–45) × 1–11 mm, blade obovate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins entire, rarely ± serrate, apex obtuse to acute.

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, cylindric to ± secund, (1–)3–20(–39) cm, axis moderately glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (1–)3–9(–11), cymes (1 or)2–6(–11)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, rarely ovate, 6–34(–48) × 1–11 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent and, usually, retrorsely hairy.

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, 2.8–5(–6) × 1–1.9 mm, margins entire or erose, apex acute, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to purple or violet, with reddish violet nectar guides, bilabiate, not personate, tubular-funnelform, (7–)8–19 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, sparsely to moderately white- or yellow-lanate internally abaxially, tube 2–5 mm, throat slightly inflated, (3–)4.5–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.5–0.8 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or papillate;

staminode (3–)7–9 mm, included, 0.1–0.3 mm diam., tip slightly recurved, distal 1–4 mm sparsely to densely pilose, hairs yellow or golden yellow, to 0.7 mm (medial hairs sparser and shorter);

style 6–12 mm.

Capsules

10–14 × 5–7 mm.

4–6 × 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous.

Seeds

2–3 mm.

Penstemon pachyphyllus

Penstemon humilis

Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
[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 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon humilis is widespread and extremely variable throughout its range in the western United States. Except for two fairly distinct elements in Utah, most variation in the species is contained in the widespread var. humilis. D. D. Keck (1945) and N. H. Holmgren (1984) summarized the ranges and morphologic tendencies of some of the more distinctive phases.

(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. Cauline leaf blade margins ± serrate; basal leaves (4–)7–22(–32) mm wide; sw Utah.
var. obtusifolius
1. Cauline leaf blade margins entire, rarely ± serrate distally; basal leaves 2–20 mm wide; California, nw Colorado, s Idaho, sw Montana, Nevada, e Oregon, Utah, Washington, w Wyoming.
→ 2
2. Basal leaves puberulent or retrorsely hairy; corollas (7–)12–19 mm; California, nw Colorado, s Idaho, sw Montana, Nevada, e Oregon, Utah, Washington, w Wyoming.
var. humilis
2. Basal leaves glabrous, sometimes ± puberulent, especially along midveins and margins; corollas 10–13 mm; nc Utah.
var. brevifolius
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 123. FNA vol. 17, p. 208.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei 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. 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. 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. 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. humilis var. brevifolius, P. humilis var. humilis, P. humilis var. obtusifolius
Synonyms P. nitidus var. major
Name authority A. Gray ex Rydberg: Fl. Rocky Mts., 770, 1066. (1917) — (as Pentstemon) Nuttall ex A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 69. (1862) — (as Pentstemon)
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