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

beak penstemon, beak-flower beardtongue, Bridge penstemon, Bridges' penstemon

Southwestern beardtongue

Stems

(24–)30–100 cm.

ascending to erect, 28–90 cm, glabrous, ± glaucous.

Leaves

basal and proximal cauline 20–52 × 3–11 mm, blade base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse;

cauline 4–12 pairs, 20–70 × 2–14 mm, blade base tapered, apex obtuse or acute.

basal and cauline, ± leathery, glabrous, ± glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 35–120(–150) × 8–30 mm, blade obovate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, sometimes undulate, apex obtuse;

cauline 3–6 pairs, sessile or proximals sometimes short- to long-petiolate, (20–)30–120 × 6–20(–29) mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate or elliptic, base truncate to clasping, sometimes tapered, margins sometimes undulate, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

(3–)6–28 cm, verticillasters (3–)6–12, cymes 2–5-flowered;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 6–36 × 1–6 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent.

continuous, secund, 8–48 cm, axis glabrous;

verticillasters 5–8(–17), cymes 1–4-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 10–65 × 2–15 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–6 × 1.7–2.1 mm;

corolla orangish red to scarlet, throat usually yellowish or orangish, unlined internally, 22–33 mm, sparsely white-puberulent, tube 3–5 mm, throat 4–6 mm diam.;

pollen sacs 1.8–2.3(–2.5) mm;

staminode 14–16 mm;

style 18–26 mm, exserted.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, (4–)4.5–9(–10) × 2.1–3.4(–3.8) mm, glabrous;

corolla blue to bluish violet, with reddish violet nectar guides, ventricose, (20–)25–32 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 7–11 mm, throat abruptly inflated, slightly constricted at orifice, 8–12 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, pollen sacs divergent, sigmoid, 2–2.5 mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/4 indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides glabrous, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 16–19 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.6–0.9 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 5–7 mm ± pilose, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style (17–)19–23 mm.

Capsules

7–10 × 4–5 mm.

8–10 × 5–6 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon rostriflorus

Penstemon laevis

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug(–Sep). Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Rocky sagebrush shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, montane forests. Sandy soils, sagebrush, juniper, oak-juniper, and pine-juniper communities.
Elevation 1200–3200 m. (3900–10500 ft.) 1100–2000 m. (3600–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

A chromosome count of 2n = 42 (P. G. Zhukova 1967) appears to be in error.

The Kawaiisu tribe of southern California prepared a poultice from the roots of Penstemon rostriflorus that was applied to swollen limbs (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Penstemon laevis is known from Coconino and Mohave counties, Arizona, and Garfield, Kane, and Washington counties, Utah. Penstemon ×jonesii Pennell, a putative hybrid between P. eatonii and P. laevis, is known from Kane and Washington counties, Utah (E. C. Neese and N. D. Atwood 2003).

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 98. FNA vol. 17, p. 170.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Bridgesiani 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. richardsonii, P. roezlii, 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. 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
Synonyms P. bridgesii
Name authority Kellogg: Hutchings’ Ill. Calif. Mag. 5: 102, fig. [p. 102]. (1860) — (as Pentstemon rostriflorum) Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 347. (1920)
Web links