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Thurber's beardtongue, Thurber's penstemon

fir-leaf beardtongue

Stems

20–40 cm, glabrous or glabrate.

ascending to erect, 5–15(–23) cm, retrorsely hairy or puberulent, hairs pointed.

Leaves

10–20 pairs, 5–32 × 0.3–2 mm, blade base tapered, margins glabrous or scabrous, apex acuminate to mucronate.

not leathery, puberulent proximally, hairs pointed, sometimes only along margins, glabrous distally;

cauline 2–7 pairs, petiolate or sessile, 7–17(–25) × 0.7–1.3(–1.7) mm, blade linear, rarely oblanceolate, base tapered, apex acute to mucronate.

Thyrses

2–15(–23) cm, verticillasters (2–)5–10(–30), cymes 1- or 2-flowered;

proximal bracts linear, 3–22 × 0.2–1 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous or scabrous.

continuous, secund, 2–8 cm, axis retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, and, sometimes, sparsely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 2–10, cymes 1–3(or 4)-flowered, 1(or 2) per node;

proximal bracts linear, 11–21 × 1–1.4 mm;

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

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate, 1–2.7 × 0.9–1.5 mm;

corolla lavender to violet, lined internally abaxially with reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform, 8–14 mm, glandular-pubescent internally in 2 lines on abaxial surface, sometimes also in sinuses of adaxial lobes, tube (1.5–)2–3 mm, throat 3–5 mm diam.;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice or barely exserted, pollen sacs 0.4–0.5 mm;

staminode 5–6 mm;

style 7–9 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 4–5.5 × 1–1.6 mm, broadly scarious-margined, apex acuminate to caudate, sparsely glandular-pubescent, sometimes glabrate;

corolla blue to bluish violet, lined internally abaxially with reddish violet nectar guides, funnelform, 12–15(–18) mm, glabrous or sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 5–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 6–7 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs widely divergent or opposite, navicular, 0.8–1.1 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 6–8 mm, included, flattened distally, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 6–7 mm densely pilose, hairs golden yellow, to 1.1 mm;

style 11–13 mm.

Capsules

(4–)5–8 × 3–4 mm.

4.5–7 × 2.8–3.5 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon thurberi

Penstemon abietinus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug(–Sep). Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Sandy or rocky slopes, chaparral, creosote shrublands, pine-juniper woodlands. Limestone-derived soils in pinyon-juniper and oak-juniper woodlands.
Elevation 500–1200(–2100) m. (1600–3900(–6900) ft.) 1800–2600 m. (5900–8500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plants of Penstemon thurberi from northern Clark County, Nevada, with corollas 8–9 mm and capsules 4–5 mm have been treated as var. anestius.

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

Penstemon abietinus is known from Emery, Iron, Sevier, and Utah counties. It bears a strong resemblance to erect varieties of P. crandallii in habit, leaf shape and pubescence, and corolla shape.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 95. FNA vol. 17, p. 99.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Ambigui Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Caespitosi
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. thompsoniae, 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. 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. 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. thurberi var. anestius
Name authority Torrey: Pacif. Railr. Rep. Parke, Bot., 15. (1856) — (as Pentstemon) Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 376. (1920)
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