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

hairy beardtongue, northeastern beardtongue, penstémon hirsute

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 43–140 cm, glaucous.

ascending to erect, 30–80 cm, retrorsely hairy and sparsely to densely glandular-villous, not 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.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or sparsely glandular-lanate along midveins, rarely moderately glandular-lanate;

basal and proximal cauline 20–126 × 4–16 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, lanceolate, spatulate, or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire or serrate to dentate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 5–8(–10) pairs, sessile or short-petiolate, 20–130 × 2–30 mm, blade lanceolate to oblanceolate, base clasping or tapered, margins finely to coarsely serrate or dentate, apex acute to acuminate.

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, conic, 6–37 cm, axis glandular-pubescent to glandular-lanate, verticillasters (3 or)4–8, cymes 2–11(–15)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 8–60 × 1–6 mm, margins entire or ± serrate to dentate;

peduncles and pedicels ascending, glandular-pubescent to glandular-lanate.

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 ovate to lanceolate, 4–7 × 1.5–2.3 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender or purplish, with or without faint violet nectar guides, bilabiate, personate, tubular, 20–26(–28) mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately to densely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 6–7 mm, throat slightly inflated, 6–8 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular to subexplanate, 0.8–1 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 13–16 mm, exserted, 0.6–0.7 mm diam., tip straight, distal 11–14 mm moderately to densely villous, hairs yellowish, to 1.2 mm;

style 16–18 mm.

Capsules

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

6–9 × 5–6 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon palmeri

Penstemon hirsutus

Phenology Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Sandy or rocky woods, rocky fields, bluffs, cliffs.
Elevation 10–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; NM; NV; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; DC; DE; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; ON; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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 hirsutus occurs widely in the northeastern United States, and in southern Ontario and Quebec. Its long, tubular, personate corollas and herbage with some stellate hairs may indicate a close relationship with P. oklahomensis and P. tenuiflorus.

(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. 208.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Spectabiles 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. 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. 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. 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
Synonyms Chelone hirsuta, C. pentstemon
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 379. (1868) — (as Pentstemon) (Linnaeus) Willdenow: Sp. Pl. 3: 227. (1800) — (as Pentstemon)
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