The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

superb beardtongue

little-cup beardtongue

Habit Herbs or subshrubs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 30–140(–160) cm, glaucous.

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

Leaves

glabrous, glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 40–160 × 14–40 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 3–8 pairs, sessile, (17–)44–115 × (4–)23–45 mm, blade ovate to oblanceolate or lanceolate, base tapered to cordate-clasping to connate-perfoliate, margins entire, apex rounded or obtuse to acute.

cauline, opposite, glabrous, glaucous;

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

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, (15–)30–60(–90) cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 9–12(–20), cymes (1–)3–9-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 11–55 × 4–30 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous or pedicels sparsely glandular-pubescent.

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.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 2.8–5 × 1.5–2.1 mm, margins entire or erose, sparsely glandular-pubescent proximally, sometimes glabrous;

corolla orangish pink to red, without nectar guides, nearly radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate, tubular-funnelform, 17–22 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glandular-pubescent internally abaxially, tube 5–7 mm, throat slightly inflated, 4–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs explanate, 1–1.5 mm, sutures smooth;

staminode 8–11 mm, flattened distally, 0.6–1 mm diam., tip straight, distal 2–3 mm retrorsely hairy, hairs yellow or whitish, to 1.5 mm;

style 10–11 mm.

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.

Capsules

10–13 × 5–8 mm.

7–10 × 4.5–5.5 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon superbus

Penstemon sepalulus

Phenology Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jun. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Gravelly or rocky canyons, slopes, washes, desert grasslands, pinyon-juniper and oak woodlands. Rocky to gravelly and talus slopes, Gambel oak, maple, and aspen woodlands.
Elevation 900–1800 m. (3000–5900 ft.) 1200–2300 m. (3900–7500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon superbus is known from Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, and Pima counties, Arizona, Grant and Hidalgo counties, New Mexico, and in adjacent Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico. The species resembles P. parryi; it differs by broader leaves and corollas that are orangish pink to red, more nearly radially symmetric, and without white hairs abaxially in the throats. Penstemon superbus also resembles P. alamosensis, which is known from New Mexico and Texas to the east of P. superbus. The glabrous staminode of P. alamosensis distinguishes it from P. superbus.

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

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.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 154. FNA vol. 17, p. 243.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Gentianoides 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. subglaber, P. subserratus, P. subulatus, P. sudans, 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. 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
Synonyms P. puniceus P. azureus var. ambiguus
Name authority A. Nelson: Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 17: 100. (1904) — (as Pentstemon) A. Nelson: in J. M. Coulter and A. Nelson, New Man. Bot. Rocky Mt., 449. (1909) — (as Pentstemon)
Web links