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

Thurber's beardtongue, Thurber's penstemon

Uinta Mountain beardtongue, Uinta Mountains beardtongue

Stems

20–40 cm, glabrous or glabrate.

ascending, 5–15(–24) cm, glabrous, not glaucous.

Leaves

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

basal and cauline, ± leathery or not, glabrous, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline (12–)20–60(–100) × (2–)4–12 mm, blade oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–4 pairs, sessile, (10–)15–45 × 1–4(–6) mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered, apex 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, secund, (1–)3–15 cm, axis ± glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–7, cymes 1(or 2)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts oblanceolate to lanceolate or linear, 9–50 × 1.5–4 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent, sometimes sparsely so.

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, (3–)4–6.5(–7) × 2.5–3.5 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to violet, without nectar guides, ventricose, 17–24 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally, tube 5–8 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 5–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs divergent, navicular, (0.8–)1–1.4 mm, dehiscing incompletely, connective not splitting, sides hispid, hairs white, to 0.3 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 10–12 mm, included, 0.2–0.4 mm diam., tip straight, distal 6–8 mm moderately to densely pilose, hairs yellow or yellow-orange, to 1 mm;

style 10–12 mm.

Capsules

(4–)5–8 × 3–4 mm.

8–10.5 × 4.5–7 mm.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon thurberi

Penstemon uintahensis

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug(–Sep). Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Sandy or rocky slopes, chaparral, creosote shrublands, pine-juniper woodlands. Rocky subalpine and alpine meadows.
Elevation 500–1200(–2100) m. (1600–3900(–6900) ft.) 3000–3800 m. (9800–12500 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 uintahensis is known from the eastern part of the Uinta Mountains in Daggett, Duchesne, Summit, and Uintah counties from the vicinity of Mt. Beulah east to Dyer Mountain.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 95. FNA vol. 17, p. 182.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Ambigui 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. 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. 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. 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: 350. (1920)
Web links