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

cut-leaf beardtongue, Richardson's beardtongue, Richardson's penstemon, shrubby penstemon

Deaver's or Mount Graham beardtongue, Mt. Graham beardtongue

Habit Subshrubs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 20–95 cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 16–60 cm, retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

Leaves

cauline, opposite or subopposite, glabrate or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous;

cauline 5–13 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 13–70 × 5–30 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered, margins laciniate-dentate to irregularly laciniate-pinnatifid, apex obtuse to acute.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or proximals sometimes puberulent proximally, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 35–110 × 5–22 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse;

cauline 3–7 pairs, sessile, 20–95 × 4–16 mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic or oblong, base tapered, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, 2–25(–48) cm, axis densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–7(–15), cymes 2–7-flowered, 1 or 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 7–43 × 2–16 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading, sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent.

continuous, cylindric, 4–13 cm, axis puberulent, verticillasters 3–8, cymes (1 or)2–4-flowered, (1 or)2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, proximals 7–55 × 1–15 mm;

peduncles and pedicels puberulent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–7 × 1.3–2.3 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla bluish to lavender, or pinkish, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose-ampliate, 15–32 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally or sparsely to moderately white-lanate abaxially, tube 7–12 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–14 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs parallel, 1.3–2 mm, distal 1/2 indehiscent, sides glabrous, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.2 mm;

staminode 16–23 mm, exserted, 0.3–0.8 mm diam., glabrous or distal 2–8 mm sparsely lanate, hairs yellow, to 2 mm;

style 11–23 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate to oblanceolate, 3–5.5 × 1.5–2.2 mm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent;

corolla lavender to violet, with violet nectar guides, ventricose, 16–25 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 4–5 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 6–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1.2–1.5 mm, dehiscing completely or incompletely, connective splitting or not, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or papillate;

staminode 9–14 mm, exserted, 0.7–1 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 0.5–2 mm sparsely to moderately pilose, hairs yellow, to 0.8 mm;

style 10–14 mm.

Capsules

5–9 × 4–5 mm.

9–12 × 4.5–8 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon richardsonii

Penstemon deaveri

Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Rocky slopes, pine forests, alpine meadows.
Elevation 2000–3400 m. (6600–11200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon richardsonii consists of three weakly differentiated varieties that are partially sympatric on the eastern slope of the Cascade Range.

The Okanagan-Coville tribe of northeastern Washington and the Paiute tribe of the Great Basin region used Penstemon richardsonii as a drug plant to treat typhoid fever and as a dermatological aid (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Penstemon deaveri is found in the Pinaleño and White mountains of Arizona and in the Datil, Mogollon, San Mateo, and Zuni mountains of New Mexico. The species has been documented in Apache, Graham, and Greenlee counties, Arizona, and Catron, Cibola, and Socorro counties, New Mexico. The bearded staminodes and glabrous and generally broader leaves of P. deaveri distinguish it from P. virgatus; rare individuals of P. deaveri have glabrous staminodes.

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

Key
1. Corollas 15–20 mm; styles 11–15 mm; staminodes glabrous or sparsely hairy distally.
var. curtiflorus
1. Corollas 22–32 mm; styles 16–23 mm; staminodes with distal 2–8 mm sparsely lanate, rarely glabrous.
→ 2
2. Leaf blades ovate to lanceolate (in outline), margins laciniate-dentate to irregularly laciniate-pinnatifid.
var. richardsonii
2. Leaf blades ovate, sometimes lanceolate, margins dentate, rarely laciniate-dentate.
var. dentatus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 241. FNA vol. 17, p. 165.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri
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. radicosus, P. rattanii, P. retrorsus, P. rhizomatosus, 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. 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. richardsonii var. curtiflorus, P. richardsonii var. dentatus, P. richardsonii var. richardsonii
Synonyms P. hallii var. arizonicus
Name authority Douglas ex Lindley: Bot. Reg. 13: plate 1121. (1828) — (as Pentstemon) Crosswhite: Amer. Midl. Naturalist 77: 6, 38. (1967)
Web links