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mat-root beardtongue, matroot penstemon

side-bells beardtongue, sidebells penstemon

Habit Herbs. Plants: caudex sometimes herbaceous.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, (15–)20–45(–50) cm, glabrous.

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.

basal and cauline, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 20–80(–102) × 2–25 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse or acute, sometimes mucronate;

cauline 4–6 pairs, sessile, (16–)20–78 × 3–24 mm, blade ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, base clasping to cordate-clasping, apex acute to acuminate.

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.

interrupted to nearly continuous, secund, 6–24(–31) cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (2 or)3–10(–12), cymes 2–7-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate, 9–70 × 2–26 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

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, 4–7 × 2.4–4 mm, margins erose, sometimes entire, broadly scarious, glabrous;

corolla blue to violet or lavender, rarely pink, with reddish or reddish purple nectar guides, tubular-funnelform to ventricose, 15–25 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous or sparsely to densely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 8–11 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4–7 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, 1–1.4 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 10–13 mm, included or reaching orifice, 1–1.4 mm diam., tip abruptly recurved, bifurcate, distal 4–6 mm densely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 2 mm;

style 9–15 mm.

Capsules

5–8 × 3.5–5 mm, glabrous.

9–12 × 7–9 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon radicosus

Penstemon secundiflorus

Phenology Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Rocky flats, slopes, ravines, sagebrush shrublands, pine woodlands.
Elevation 1500–2400 m. (4900–7900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; NM; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Cauline leaf blades lanceolate to ovate; corollas light blue or lavender, rarely pink, sparsely to densely white-villous internally abaxially; Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming.
var. secundiflorus
1. Cauline leaf blades oblanceolate to ovate or elliptic; corollas dark blue or violet, glabrous or sparsely white-villous internally abaxially; Colorado.
var. versicolor
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 219. FNA vol. 17, p. 124.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei
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. 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. 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. secundiflorus var. secundiflorus, P. secundiflorus var. versicolor
Name authority A. Nelson: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 25: 280. (1898) — (as Pentstemon) Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 325. (1846) — (as Pentstemon)
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