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Arizona scarlet-bugler, hackberry beardtongue

Platte River penstemon, Wasatch beardtongue, Wasatch penstemon

Stems

ascending to erect, 20–60 cm, glaucous, sometimes not.

decumbent to erect, 5–70(–90) cm, glabrous or sparsely to densely puberulent, not glaucous.

Leaves

glabrous, glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 28–100 × 2–11 mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–6 pairs, sessile, (11–)30–80(–120) × 2–9 mm, blade lanceolate to linear or linear-subulate, base clasping to auriculate-clasping, margins entire, apex rounded to acute.

basal and cauline, ± leathery or not, glabrous or basal ones sparsely to densely puberulent, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline (20–)45–160 × 3–40(–55) mm, blade obovate to oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 1–6 pairs, sessile or proximals short- to long-petiolate, 16–100 × 5–45(–60) mm, blade ovate or oblanceolate to lanceolate, base cordate-clasping to clasping, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, 6–26 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 5–9, cymes 1–4-flowered;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 6–33 × 1–4 mm;

peduncles and pedicels erect, glabrous.

continuous or interrupted, cylindric to subsecund, 2–30 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 2–12, cymes 3–7-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 7–80 × (1–)3–35 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous, peduncles to 20 mm, pedicels 1–9 mm.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 2–4.5 × 1.4–2.1 mm, margins entire or erose, glabrous or ± glandular along margins;

corolla scarlet, without nectar guides, nearly radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate, salverform, 18–26 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 4–7 mm, 1.6–3 times as long as calyx lobes, throat slightly inflated, 3–5 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs explanate, 0.7–0.9 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 13–14 mm, essentially terete, 0.1 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous, rarely distal 1–2 mm sparsely papillate, papillae yellow, to 0.2 mm;

style 10–19 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3–6.5 × 1.3–2.6 mm, apex acute to acuminate or cuspidate, glabrous;

corolla blue to violet, without nectar guides, ventricose, 12–25(–28) mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 6–11 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 6–11 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs divergent, navicular, 1.2–2(–2.2) mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/4–1/3 indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides hispid, hairs white, to 0.5 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 11–14 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.3–0.6 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 6–9 mm sparsely to moderately pilose to lanate, hairs orange, yellow, or white, to 1 mm;

style 9–16 mm.

Capsules

6–8 × 4–5 mm.

7–15 × 5–10 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon subulatus

Penstemon cyananthus

Phenology Flowering (Feb–)Mar–May.
Habitat Rocky slopes, mesas, canyons.
Elevation 500–1300 m. (1600–4300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon subulatus has been documented in Gila, Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, Pinal, and Yuma counties in central Arizona.

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon compactus and P. longiflorus have been treated as elements of the P. cyananthus complex (F. W. Pennell 1920b; D. D. Keck 1940b). All of these taxa occur from the Wasatch Range northward into the Central Rocky Mountains.

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

Key
1. Cauline leaf blades lanceolate to oblanceolate; calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, apices acute to cuspidate, rarely acuminate.
var. subglaber
1. Cauline leaf blades ovate to lanceolate; calyx lobes lanceolate, rarely ovate, apices acuminate, rarely acute.
→ 2
2. Verticillasters 4–12; thyrses 4–30 cm; stems ascending to erect, 20–70(–90) cm; corollas 16–25(–28) mm.
var. cyananthus
2. Verticillasters 2 or 3; thyrses 2–6 cm; stems decumbent to ascending, 5–25(–32) cm; corollas 12–16(–20) mm.
var. judyae
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 154. FNA vol. 17, p. 163.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Gentianoides 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. smallii, P. spatulatus, P. speciosus, P. spectabilis, P. stenophyllus, P. stephensii, P. strictiformis, P. strictus, P. subglaber, P. subserratus, 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. 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. 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. cyananthus var. cyananthus, P. cyananthus var. judyae, P. cyananthus var. subglaber
Name authority M. E. Jones: Contr. W. Bot. 12: 63. (1908) — (as Pentstemon) Hooker: Bot. Mag. 75: plate 4464. (1849) — (as Pentstemon)
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