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little-cup beardtongue

Amargosa beardtongue, Death Valley beardtongue, Death Valley penstemon

Habit Herbs or subshrubs. Shrubs or subshrubs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 40–90 cm, glabrous, glaucous.

ascending to erect, 30–60 cm, glaucous.

Leaves

cauline, opposite, glabrous, glaucous;

cauline 6–14 pairs, sessile, 30–85(–102) × 3–13 mm, blade elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex acute.

cauline 6–12 pairs, sessile or short-petiolate, (12–)25–65 × 2–8 mm, blade lanceolate to linear, sometimes oblanceolate, base truncate or tapered, margins entire, rarely ± serrulate distally, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, 6–30 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (5–)8–14, cymes 1(or 2)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts narrowly elliptic to linear, 8–45 × 1–8 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous.

interrupted, cylindric, 8–30 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 3–8, cymes 1–3-flowered;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 9–28 × 2–5 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, glabrous.

Flowers

calyx lobes obovate to ovate or elliptic, 1.8–3.2 × 1.5–2.2 mm, glabrous or minutely ciliolate distally;

corolla light lavender to violet or purple, with violet nectar guides, weakly ventricose, 22–26(–28) mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 7–9 mm, throat gradually inflated, 7–9 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs parallel to slightly divergent, 1.5–2 mm, distal 2/3 indehiscent, sides glabrous, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 15–16 mm, included, 0.5–0.6 mm diam., glabrous;

style 16–20 mm.

calyx lobes depressed-ovate to round or ovate, 3.5–6.5 × 2.5–5 mm, glabrous;

corolla bluish lavender to lavender or light pink, with reddish purple nectar guides, strongly bilabiate, ventricose-ampliate, 22–28 mm, glabrous or glandular-pubescent externally, moderately to densely white-lanate internally abaxially, sometimes also sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent internally, tube 6–8 mm, length 1–1.5 times calyx lobes, throat abruptly inflated, constricted at orifice, 8–14 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, filaments of shorter pair glandular-puberulent proximally, pollen sacs explanate to subexplanate, 1.6–2.2 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 15–19 mm, exserted, 0.6–0.8 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 8–9 mm moderately pilose to lanate, hairs yellow, to 2.5 mm;

proximal 5–6 mm glandular-pubescent;

style 19–24 mm, glabrous.

Capsules

7–10 × 4.5–5.5 mm.

9–13 × 5–7 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon sepalulus

Penstemon fruticiformis

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Rocky to gravelly and talus slopes, Gambel oak, maple, and aspen woodlands.
Elevation 1200–2300 m. (3900–7500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon sepalulus is found in the Wasatch Mountains in Juab, Sevier, Utah, and Washington counties.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon fruticiformis is known from the Mojave Desert. Specimens from the Kingston Range and the eastern flank of the southern Sierra Nevada sometimes combine features of P. fruticiformis and P. incertus.

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

Key
1. Corollas glabrous externally; calyx lobes depressed-ovate to round or ovate, 3.5–5 × 3.2–5 mm.
var. fruticiformis
1. Corollas ± glandular-pubescent externally; calyx lobes ovate, 4.5–6.5 × 2.5–4 mm.
var. amargosae
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 243. FNA vol. 17, p. 250.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Spectabiles
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. secundiflorus, P. seorsus, 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. 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. fruticiformis var. amargosae, P. fruticiformis var. fruticiformis
Synonyms P. azureus var. ambiguus
Name authority A. Nelson: in J. M. Coulter and A. Nelson, New Man. Bot. Rocky Mt., 449. (1909) — (as Pentstemon) Coville: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 4: 170. (1893) — (as Pentstemon)
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