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side-bells beardtongue, sidebells penstemon

bunchleaf penstemon, foothill beardtongue, foothill penstemon

Habit Plants: caudex sometimes herbaceous. Subshrubs.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, 30–150 cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, rarely glaucous.

Leaves

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.

essentially cauline, basal absent or essentially so, opposite, glabrous or retrorsely hairy to puberulent, hairs pointed, rarely glaucous;

cauline 5–11 pairs, petiolate or sessile, 10–100 × 0.5–12 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate or linear, base tapered to clasping, margins entire, apex acute.

Thyrses

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.

interrupted or continuous, cylindric, (6–)10–32 cm, axis glabrous or retrorsely hairy, verticillasters (3–)5–14, cymes 1(–3)-flowered, (1 or)2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 5–65 × 0.5–5 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous or retrorsely hairy.

Flowers

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.

calyx lobes obovate to oblanceolate or ovate to lanceolate, 2.6–6(–7) × 1.3–3.3 mm, glabrous or puberulent;

corolla blue to violet or purple, without nectar guides, ventricose to ventricose-ampliate, 24–38 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 7–10 mm, throat gradually inflated, 8–11 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice or slightly exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs parallel, 2.2–3 mm, distal 1/3–1/2 indehiscent, sides pubescent to lanate, hairs white, to 0.8 mm near filament attachment, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.2 mm;

staminode 16–19 mm, included, 0.4–0.6 mm diam., glabrous;

style 18–27 mm.

Capsules

9–12 × 7–9 mm.

6–9 × 4–5 mm.

2n

= 16, 32.

Penstemon secundiflorus

Penstemon heterophyllus

Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon heterophyllus apparently occurs only in California (see discussion under 209c. var. purdyi). The species includes three varieties concentrated in the Coast Ranges from Humboldt County south to San Bernardino and San Diego counties.

(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
1. Thyrse axes glabrous; stems glabrous, rarely retrorsely hairy; calyx lobes obovate to oblanceolate, rarely lanceolate.
var. heterophyllus
1. Thyrse axes retrorsely hairy; stems retrorsely hairy; calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate.
→ 2
2. Cauline leaves 15–45 × 0.5–4 mm, axillary fascicles present, sometimes absent.
var. australis
2. Cauline leaves (25–)30–100 × 2–12 mm, axillary fascicles absent, rarely present.
var. purdyi
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 124. FNA vol. 17, p. 235.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei 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. 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
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. 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. secundiflorus var. secundiflorus, P. secundiflorus var. versicolor
P. heterophyllus var. australis, P. heterophyllus var. heterophyllus, P. heterophyllus var. purdyi
Name authority Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 325. (1846) — (as Pentstemon) Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 22: plate 1899. (1836) — (as Pentstemon heterophyllum)
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