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

Palmer's beardtongue, Palmer's penstemon, scented beardtongue, scented penstemon

Alamo beardtongue, los alamos beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 43–140 cm, glaucous.

ascending to erect, 14–120 cm, sometimes glaucous.

Leaves

basal and proximal cauline (28–)52–120(–145) × (5–)25–50(–60) mm, blade ovate, base tapered, margins coarsely dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 5–8 pairs, sessile or connate-perfoliate, 25–130 × 7–45 mm, blade ovate to triangular, base of distals auriculate-clasping or connate-perfoliate, margins coarsely dentate, distals sometimes entire, apex acute.

not leathery, glabrous, sometimes glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 25–140 × 9–45 mm, blade elliptic to obovate or lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–6 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 10–135 × 3–30 mm, blade oblong to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered to truncate, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, rarely continuous, secund, 7–63 cm, axis glabrous or glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (4–)7–17, cymes (1 or)2–5-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 8–40 × 4–38 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous or glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, cylindric to ± secund, 12–34(–90) cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 5–15(–30), cymes (1 or)2(–4)-flowered;

proximal bracts lanceolate to subulate, 4–15 × 1–5 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, peduncles glabrous, pedicels glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, (3.4–)4.2–6(–7.5) × 1.9–3.6 mm, glabrous or glandular-pubescent;

corolla pale pink to white or pinkish lavender, with reddish purple nectar guides, strongly bilabiate, ventricose-ampliate, 25–38 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glandular-pubescent internally, sometimes also sparsely white-lanate abaxially, tube 4–8 mm, length 1–1.4 times calyx lobes, throat abruptly inflated, constricted at orifice, 12–21 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, filaments of shorter pair glandular-puberulent proximally, pollen sacs navicular, 1.6–2.4 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 25–30 mm, exserted, 0.9–1.1 mm diam., tip strongly recurved to coiled, distal 8–10 mm, and especially tip, moderately to densely lanate, hairs yellow, to 3.5 mm, proximal 6–8 mm glandular-puberulent;

style 19–23 mm, glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent proximally.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 3–4.5 × 1–1.5 mm, margins entire, sparsely glandular-pubescent;

corolla red to orangish red, without nectar guides, nearly radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate, tubular-funnelform, 19–25 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glandular-pubescent internally abaxially, tube 6–8 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–7 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs explanate, 1–1.4 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 7–9 mm, flattened distally, 0.3–0.5 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, glabrous;

style 9–11 mm.

Capsules

11–16 × 6–8 mm, sparsely glandular-pubescent distally.

11–16 × 5–8 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon palmeri

Penstemon alamosensis

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Limestone canyons, cliffs, and slopes.
Elevation 1300–1600 m. (4300–5200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; NM; NV; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NM; TX
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon ×bryantiae D. D. Keck, a hybrid between P. palmeri and P. spectabilis, was described based on plants that volunteered in the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in 1935 (D. D. Keck 1937b). Penstemon ×mirus A. Nelson, a putative hybrid between P. eatonii and P. palmeri, has been reported from Arizona (A. Nelson 1938).

A poultice prepared from Penstemon palmeri is applied to snakebites by the Kayenta Navajo of northeastern Arizona (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Penstemon alamosensis is known from the Sacramento and San Andres mountains in New Mexico (Doña Ana, Lincoln, and Otero counties) and in the Hueco Mountains in western Texas (El Paso County).

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

Key
1. Corolla tubes 7–8 mm; distal cauline leaves sessile, sometimes connate-perfoliate.
var. macranthus
1. Corolla tubes 4–6 mm; distal cauline leaves connate-perfoliate.
→ 2
2. Peduncles, pedicels, and calyx lobes glandular-pubescent; pollen sacs 1.8–2.4 mm.
var. palmeri
2. Peduncles, pedicels, and calyx lobes glabrous; pollen sacs 1.6–2(–2.2) mm.
var. eglandulosus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 252. FNA vol. 17, p. 151.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Spectabiles 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. ovatus, P. pachyphyllus, P. pahutensis, P. pallidus, 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. 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. 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. palmeri var. eglandulosus, P. palmeri var. macranthus, P. palmeri var. palmeri
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 379. (1868) — (as Pentstemon) Pennell & G. T. Nisbet: Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 41: 709, figs. 41, 43, 45. (1960)
Web links