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little-cup beardtongue

lax beardtongue, tuft penstemon

Habit Herbs or subshrubs. Herbs.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, 30–70 cm, ± retrorsely hairy, not 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.

essentially cauline, basal leaves absent or poorly developed, not leathery, glabrous, sometimes ± puberulent;

cauline 4–8(–10) pairs, sessile, 30–90 × 4–17 mm, blade lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex 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.

continuous or interrupted, cylindric, (1–)2–15 cm, axis ± retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 1–5, cymes (2–)6–13-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 8–38 × 1–8 mm, margins entire;

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

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 broadly ovate to obovate or elliptic, 1.7–3 × 0.9–2 mm, apex obtuse to acute or slightly cuspidate, glabrous;

corolla violet to blue or purple, with faint reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform, 12–15 mm, glabrous externally, densely yellow-villous internally abaxially, tube 3–4 mm, throat gradually inflated, 3–4 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair slightly exserted, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 0.4–0.8 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 6–8 mm, included, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 2–3 mm sparsely to densely villous, hairs yellow, to 0.7 mm;

style 7–9 mm.

Capsules

7–10 × 4.5–5.5 mm.

4.5–6 × 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous.

Penstemon sepalulus

Penstemon laxus

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Rocky to gravelly and talus slopes, Gambel oak, maple, and aspen woodlands. Dry meadows, sagebrush shrublands.
Elevation 1200–2300 m. (3900–7500 ft.) 1700–2400 m. (5600–7900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID
[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.)

Penstemon laxus is known from south-central Idaho; populations are known in Blaine, Boise, and Elmore counties.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 243. FNA vol. 17, p. 211.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon
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. 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. 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. azureus var. ambiguus P. watsonii subsp. laxus
Name authority A. Nelson: in J. M. Coulter and A. Nelson, New Man. Bot. Rocky Mt., 449. (1909) — (as Pentstemon) A. Nelson: Bot. Gaz. 54: 147. (1912) — (as Pentstemon)
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