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

Thompson's beardtongue, Thompson's penstemon

Eaton firecracker, Eaton's beardtongue, firecracker beardtongue, firecracker penstemon

Stems

prostrate or ascending, 4–15(–25) cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike.

ascending to erect, 40–100 cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

Leaves

not leathery, densely retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike;

cauline 1–5 pairs, petiolate, 6–25(–33) × 2–6.5 mm, blade obovate to spatulate, base tapered, apex mucronate, sometimes rounded or obtuse.

glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 50–100(–200) × 15–28(–50) mm, blade obovate to elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–5 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 24–90(–145) × 8–28 mm, blade ovate or lanceolate, proximals sometimes oblanceolate, base tapered to cordate-clasping, apex acute, rarely obtuse.

Thyrses

continuous, secund, (1–)2–12 cm, axis retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike, sometimes also glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters (1–)3–12, cymes 1–3(–5)-flowered, 1 per node;

proximal bracts spatulate to oblanceolate, 5–19 × 1.5–4 mm;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, and, sometimes, sparsely glandular-pubescent.

secund, (9–)25–45 cm, axis glabrous or retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 4–12, cymes 1- or 2(–4)-flowered;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 6–49 × 1–8 mm;

peduncles and pedicels erect, sometimes ascending, glabrous or sparsely puberulent.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, 4–6 × 1–1.7 mm, herbaceous- or narrowly scarious-margined, sparsely glandular-pubescent and retrorsely hairy, hairs appressed, white, scalelike;

corolla blue to violet or purple, lined internally abaxially with reddish violet nectar guides, ampliate, 10–18 mm, yellow-lanate internally abaxially, tube 6–7 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4.5–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens reaching orifice or longer pair exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs divergent, navicular, 0.8–1.2(–1.4) mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 8–9 mm, exserted, flattened distally, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 6–8 mm pubescent, hairs yellow or orange, to 0.8 mm;

style 10–13 mm.

calyx lobes ovate, (2.5–)3–5(–6) × 1.8–3 mm, margins erose, rarely entire, glabrous;

corolla red to scarlet, essentially without nectar guides, nearly radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate, tubular, 24–30(–33) mm, glabrous internally, tube 6–10 mm, throat 5–7(–9) mm diam., not constricted at orifice, rounded abaxially, abaxial lobes projecting to barely spreading, adaxial lobes projecting to barely spreading;

stamens included, reaching orifice, or exserted, pollen sacs parallel, proximal 1/4–1/2 indehiscent, (1.4–)1.8–2.4(–2.8) mm, sides glabrous or obscurely hispidulous with tan enations less than 0.1 mm, sutures papillate or denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 14–17 mm, included, tip straight, glabrous or distal 1–4 mm sparsely to densely pubescent, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 23–27 mm, usually exserted.

Capsules

3.5–5.5 × 3–4 mm.

10–14 × 4–8 mm.

Penstemon thompsoniae

Penstemon eatonii

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly soils, sagebrush shrublands, pine-juniper woodlands, pine forests.
Elevation 1500–3400 m. (4900–11200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; NM; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

D. D. Keck (1937) recognized two subspecies in his treatment of Penstemon thompsoniae: subsp. jaegeri, restricted to mountains of Clark County, Nevada, which he distinguished by its few, remote stems and open inflorescences, and subsp. thompsoniae in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, which he distinguished by its tufted stems and compact inflorescences. A morphologic continuum exists between the two subspecies.

Neese described var. desperatus from Beaver and Iron counties, Utah, and eastern Nevada, distinguishing it from var. thompsoniae by its longer stems and inflorescences, and smaller leaves. She later concluded that geographic variation in Penstemon thompsoniae was not sufficiently geographically correlated to recognize infraspecific taxa (E. C. Neese 1993).

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon ×jonesii Pennell, a putative hybrid between P. eatonii and P. laevis, is known only from Kane and Washington counties, Utah (E. C. Neese and N. D. Atwood 2003). Penstemon ×crideri A. Nelson, a putative hybrid between P. eatonii and P. pseudospectabilis, has been reported from Arizona (A. Nelson 1936). Penstemon ×mirus A. Nelson, a putative hybrid between P. eatonii and P. palmeri, has been reported from Arizona (Nelson 1938). A wild hybrid between P. centranthifolius and P. eatonii has been reported from San Bernardino County, California (Paul Wilson and M. Valenzuela 2002).

The Hopi and Kayenta Navajo of northeastern Arizona use Penstemon eatonii as a drug or ceremonial plant (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Key
1. Stems glabrous, rarely obscurely retrorsely hairy at proximal nodes; leaves glabrous.
var. eatonii
1. Stems retrorsely hairy; leaves retrorsely hairy.
→ 2
2. Stamens: both pairs exserted.
var. exsertus
2. Stamens included or reaching orifice, longer pair rarely exserted.
var. undosus
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 107. FNA vol. 17, p. 148.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Caespitosi Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Elmigera
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. superbus, P. tenuiflorus, P. tenuis, P. teucrioides, 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. 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. eatonii var. eatonii, P. eatonii var. exsertus, P. eatonii var. undosus
Synonyms P. pumilus var. thompsoniae, P. thompsoniae var. desperatus, P. thompsoniae subsp. jaegeri
Name authority (A. Gray) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 36: 690. (1909) — (as Pentstemon) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 395. (1872) — (as Pentstemon eatoni)
Web links