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Thurber's beardtongue, Thurber's penstemon

dwarf beardtongue, low beardtongue

Stems

20–40 cm, glabrous or glabrate.

ascending, 2–10(–14) cm, densely retrorsely hairy.

Leaves

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

basal and cauline, not leathery, densely retrorsely hairy;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, 12–35(–50) × 3–10 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, rarely obscurely dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 1–3 pairs, sessile, 13–34 × 2–6 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate or linear, base tapered to slightly clasping, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

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, cylindric, axis glandular-pubescent, 2–3(–8) cm, verticillasters 1–5(or 6), cymes 2–4-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 11–20 × 2–6 mm;

peduncles and pedicels 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 ovate to lanceolate, 4–6 × 1.8–2.2 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to blue or purple, with reddish violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 12–16 mm, sparsely yellow-lanate internally abaxially, tube 5–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 4–7 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs parallel, navicular, 1.7–2 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures papillate;

staminode 8–9 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.8–0.9 mm diam., tip straight, distal 5–6 mm moderately to densely pubescent, hairs orange, to 0.8 mm;

style 9–11 mm.

Capsules

(4–)5–8 × 3–4 mm.

4–7 × 3–4.5 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon thurberi

Penstemon nanus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug(–Sep). Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Sandy or rocky slopes, chaparral, creosote shrublands, pine-juniper woodlands. Pinyon-juniper woodlands, desert shrublands.
Elevation 500–1200(–2100) m. (1600–3900(–6900) ft.) 1700–2300 m. (5600–7500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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 nanus is known from the ranges and dry valleys of western Beaver and Millard counties. Populations are concentrated in and near the Burbank Hills, Confusion Range, Halfway Hills, Mountain Home Range, and Tunnel Spring and Wah Wah mountains. The parallel pollen sacs and glandular-pubescent thyrse axes of P. nanus distinguish it from P. dolius.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 95. FNA vol. 17, p. 141.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Ambigui Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Cristati
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. 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. 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) D. D. Keck: Amer. Midl. Naturalist 23: 607. (1940)
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