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mat-root beardtongue, matroot penstemon

lance-leaf beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, (15–)20–42 cm, retrorsely hairy or puberulent, not glaucous.

24–75(–98) cm, sparsely to densely retrorsely hairy or puberulent, usually also glandular-pubescent distally.

Leaves

essentially cauline, basal absent or poorly developed, not leathery, ± puberulent;

cauline (4 or)5–8 pairs, sessile, (20–)30–65 × (2–)4–10(–20) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

retrorsely hairy;

basal and proximal cauline 8–80 × 3–12 mm, blade lanceolate or spatulate, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 7–15 pairs, 9–85(–110) × 1–11(–22) mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered to truncate, apex acute to acuminate, rarely obtuse.

Thyrses

interrupted or continuous, cylindric, 5–14 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (2 or)3–6, cymes 2–4(–8)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 7–46 × 1–10(–20) mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

± secund, 5–36 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–6, cymes 1 or 2(or 3)-flowered;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 5–16 × 1–3 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent, sometimes also retrorsely hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, 5–8 × 1.2–2.5 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to dark blue, purple, or violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, bilabiate, not personate, funnelform, 16–23 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately yellowish lanate internally abaxially, tube 4.5–6 mm, throat slightly inflated, 4–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular to subexplanate, 0.8–1.3 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 10–12 mm, included, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight, distal 1 mm densely pilose or lanate, hairs yellow, to 1.4 mm, remaining distal 4–5 mm sparsely pilose, hairs yellow, to 0.5 mm;

style 11–14 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 2.9–7 × 1.5–2.5(–3.6) mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla scarlet to red, unlined internally or lined on abaxial surface with faint reddish purple nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 22–35 mm, glandular-pubescent internally abaxially, tube 5–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 6–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens exserted (hidden by galeate adaxial lobes), pollen sacs parallel to divergent, 1.5–2 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.2 mm;

staminode 15–17 mm, included, 0.3–0.4 mm diam.;

style 25–30 mm, usually barely exserted from galea.

Capsules

5–8 × 3.5–5 mm, glabrous.

9–14 × 6–7 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon radicosus

Penstemon lanceolatus

Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat Rocky flats, slopes, ravines, sagebrush shrublands, pine woodlands. Gravelly pinyon-juniper woodlands, pine woodlands, thorn scrub, desert grasslands.
Elevation 1500–2400 m. (4900–7900 ft.) 1200–1800 m. (3900–5900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nayarit, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Zacatecas)
Discussion

Penstemon radicosus is known from the Central Rocky Mountains and mountain ranges in the northern Great Basin. The species is most likely to be confused with P. laxus or P. watsonii.

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

Penstemon lanceolatus is known from southern Arizona (Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee counties), southern New Mexico (Doña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, and Sierra counties), and western Texas (Brewster County).

Crosswhite published Penstemon ramosus as an avowed substitute for the homonym P. pauciflorus Greene, distinguishing P. ramosus from P. lanceolatus by the former’s branched stems and relatively narrower leaves (1 mm wide versus 4–8 mm wide) with revolute margins. He mapped P. ramosus in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico and P. lanceolatus in western Texas and northern Mexico. Morphologic differences between these taxa are not consistent enough to warrant recognition of P. ramosus (J. L. Anderson et al. 2007).

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 219. FNA vol. 17, p. 109.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Chamaeleon
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. 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. 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. 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
Synonyms P. ramosus
Name authority A. Nelson: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 25: 280. (1898) — (as Pentstemon) Bentham: Pl. Hartw., 22. (1839) — (as Pentstemon)
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