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Blue Ridge beardtongue, Small's beardtongue

blue penstemon, dark blue beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 35–80 cm, puberulent or retrorsely hairy proximally, retrorsely hairy and sparsely glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, (17–)30–80 cm, glabrous, not or ± glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, basal sometimes withering by anthesis, not leathery, glabrous or puberulent along midveins and, sometimes, on proximal parts of blade;

basal and proximal cauline 55–170 × 15–60 mm, blade triangular-ovate to cordate or lanceolate, base tapered, margins crenate to sharply serrate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 4–6 pairs, sessile, 66–105 × 12–48 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, proximals sometimes lyrate, base truncate to broadly clasping, margins crenate to sharply serrate, apex acute.

basal and cauline, ± leathery or not, glabrous, ± glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 50–170 × 8–25(–35) mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–7 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, (15–)30–90(–120) × (4–)8–25 mm, blade lanceolate to ovate, base cordate-clasping or proximals tapered, apex acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, narrowly conic, (6–)10–28 cm, axis puberulent and glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–7, cymes (3–)5–12-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 56–130 × 23–55 mm, margins sharply serrate;

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

continuous or interrupted, secund, (3–)7–27 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (3–)5–14, cymes (2 or)3–6-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 15–65 × 2–26 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous, peduncles to 18 mm, pedicels 3–18 mm.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3.5–5 × 1.2–2.1 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender to violet or purple, with violet nectar guides, funnelform to ventricose-ampliate, 28–35 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 7–8 mm, throat abruptly inflated, 9–16 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1.3–1.5 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 15–18 mm, included, 0.4–0.6 mm diam., tip straight, distal 13–15 mm ± pilose, hairs yellow, to 2 mm;

style 17–20 mm.

calyx lobes obovate to ovate, 2.5–4.5 × 2–3.4(–3.8) mm, apex mucronate, sometimes acute to acuminate, glabrous;

corolla blue to violet or purple, without nectar guides, ventricose, 24–30(–34) mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 7–10 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 8–11 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs divergent, sigmoid, 1.8–2.7(–3) mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/5 indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides hispid to hispidulous, hairs white or tan, to 0.2 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 14–17 mm, included, 0.5–0.7 mm diam., tip straight, distal 4–7 mm sparsely pilose, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 17–23 mm.

Capsules

7–10 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

9–13 × 5–7 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon smallii

Penstemon cyaneus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Rocky slopes, bluffs, cliffs. Gravelly or sandy hillsides, sagebrush shrublands.
Elevation 200–1200 m. (700–3900 ft.) 1400–2900 m. (4600–9500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; GA; NC; SC; TN
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon smallii is known from the southern Appalachians. Foliose inflorescence bracts, truncate or cordate cauline leaf bases, and lavender to purple corollas distinguish it from other eastern penstemons.

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

Penstemon cyaneus occurs from the vicinity of Yellowstone National Park westward into south-central Idaho.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 222. FNA vol. 17, p. 164.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon 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. rostriflorus, P. rubicundus, P. rupicola, P. rydbergii, P. saxosorum, P. scapoides, P. scariosus, P. secundiflorus, P. seorsus, P. sepalulus, P. serrulatus, 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. 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. 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
Name authority A. Heller: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 21: 25. (1894) — (as Pentstemon) Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 351. (1920)
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