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northern smooth beardtongue, smooth penstemon

cut-leaf beardtongue, Richardson's beardtongue, Richardson's penstemon, shrubby penstemon

Habit Subshrubs.
Stems

erect, (10–)18–90(–130) cm, glabrous proximally, usually sparsely glandular distally, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 20–95 cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, not glaucous.

Leaves

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

basal and proximal cauline 35–140(–170) × 8–24 mm, blade oblanceolate, sometimes lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–6(–11) pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 28–95(–130) × 4–15 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, apex acute.

cauline, opposite or subopposite, glabrate or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous;

cauline 5–13 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 13–70 × 5–30 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered, margins laciniate-dentate to irregularly laciniate-pinnatifid, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, secund, (4–)12–38 cm, axis glabrous or glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–12, cymes 1–3(–6)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, (3–)15–75 × (1–)2–22 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent, sometimes sparsely so.

interrupted, cylindric, 2–25(–48) cm, axis densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–7(–15), cymes 2–7-flowered, 1 or 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 7–43 × 2–16 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading, sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4.5–7.5 × (1.5–)2.1–2.8 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to violet or purple, with violet nectar guides, ventricose, 19–28 mm, ± glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally, tube 6–10(–11) mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 7–10 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1.6–2 mm, dehiscing incompletely, connective not splitting, sides sparsely to moderately hispid or pubescent, hairs white, to 0.2 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 13–16 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, 0.6–0.8 mm diam., tip straight, distal 2–3 mm sparsely villous, hairs yellow, to 0.7 mm;

style 14–18 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–7 × 1.3–2.3 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla bluish to lavender, or pinkish, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose-ampliate, 15–32 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally or sparsely to moderately white-lanate abaxially, tube 7–12 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–14 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs parallel, 1.3–2 mm, distal 1/2 indehiscent, sides glabrous, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.2 mm;

staminode 16–23 mm, exserted, 0.3–0.8 mm diam., glabrous or distal 2–8 mm sparsely lanate, hairs yellow, to 2 mm;

style 11–23 mm.

Capsules

8–12 × 5–6 mm.

5–9 × 4–5 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon subglaber

Penstemon richardsonii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Sagebrush shrublands, clearings in fir forests.
Elevation 1600–3400 m. (5200–11200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Studies of morphology and flavonoids confirm the distinctness of Penstemon subglaber from P. mensarum and P. saxosorum (M. L. Moorman 1982). Penstemon subglaber occurs primarily from the Teton and Wind River mountains of western Wyoming through the Uinta and Wasatch mountains to the Tushar Mountains in south-central Utah.

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon richardsonii consists of three weakly differentiated varieties that are partially sympatric on the eastern slope of the Cascade Range.

The Okanagan-Coville tribe of northeastern Washington and the Paiute tribe of the Great Basin region used Penstemon richardsonii as a drug plant to treat typhoid fever and as a dermatological aid (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Key
1. Corollas 15–20 mm; styles 11–15 mm; staminodes glabrous or sparsely hairy distally.
var. curtiflorus
1. Corollas 22–32 mm; styles 16–23 mm; staminodes with distal 2–8 mm sparsely lanate, rarely glabrous.
→ 2
2. Leaf blades ovate to lanceolate (in outline), margins laciniate-dentate to irregularly laciniate-pinnatifid.
var. richardsonii
2. Leaf blades ovate, sometimes lanceolate, margins dentate, rarely laciniate-dentate.
var. dentatus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 181. FNA vol. 17, p. 241.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Glabri 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. secundiflorus, P. seorsus, P. sepalulus, P. serrulatus, P. smallii, P. spatulatus, P. speciosus, P. spectabilis, P. stenophyllus, P. stephensii, P. strictiformis, P. strictus, 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. 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. 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. richardsonii var. curtiflorus, P. richardsonii var. dentatus, P. richardsonii var. richardsonii
Synonyms P. glaber var. utahensis
Name authority Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 36: 688. (1909) — (as Pentstemon) Douglas ex Lindley: Bot. Reg. 13: plate 1121. (1828) — (as Pentstemon)
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