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

King's beardtongue, King's penstemon

Habit Subshrubs. Herbs.
Stems

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

decumbent to ascending, 7–25(–30) cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, often densely so, 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.

cauline, opposite, retrorsely hairy or puberulent, hairs pointed, not glaucous;

cauline (2 or)3–6 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 17–50(–80) × 2–7(–10) mm, blade oblanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire, 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, 3–15 cm, axis retrorsely hairy or puberulent, verticillasters 4–10, cymes (1 or)2–4-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts oblanceolate to lanceolate, 11–40 × 2–8 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, peduncles puberulent, pedicels puberulent and glandular-pubescent, at least distally.

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, 4–6 × 1.4–1.9 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to purple, reddish purple, or blue, without nectar guides, ventricose, 15–22 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally, tube 5–7 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4.5–7 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs parallel, 1–1.5(–1.8) mm, distal 1/2–2/3 indehiscent, sides glabrous, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 11–13 mm, reaching orifice or barely exserted, 0.4–0.5 mm diam., glabrous;

style 12–16 mm.

Capsules

5–9 × 4–5 mm.

6–10 × 4–6 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon richardsonii

Penstemon kingii

Phenology Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Sagebrush-juniper woodlands.
Elevation 1500–2100 m. (4900–6900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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 kingii is known from mountain ranges throughout central and northwestern Nevada (Churchill, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Nye, and Pershing counties) and southeastern Oregon (Malheur County). N. H. Holmgren (1984) reported a chromosome number of 2n = 32 for P. kingii; the basis for that report has not been determined.

(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. 236.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera
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. 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. 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
Name authority Douglas ex Lindley: Bot. Reg. 13: plate 1121. (1828) — (as Pentstemon) S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 222. (1871) — (as Pentstemon)
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