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Heller's beardtongue

eastern beardtongue, eastern smooth beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

erect, 30–65 cm, retrorsely hairy.

ascending to erect, 40–115 cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline or, sometimes, basal absent or withering, not leathery to ± leathery, glabrous or retrorsely hairy along midvein and, sometimes, along margins;

basal and proximal cauline petiolate, 22–120(–190) × 7–40(–65) mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, margins entire or serrate to dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 6–8(–10) pairs, sessile, 30–95(–115) × 7–30 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate to linear, base tapered to cordate clasping, margins entire or serrate, apex acute.

basal and cauline, basal sometimes withering by anthesis, not leathery, glabrous or puberulent;

basal and proximal cauline 40–150 × 7–48 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire or ± serrate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–7 pairs, sessile or proximals sometimes petiolate, 18–128 × 8–28 mm, blade lanceolate, proximals sometimes oblanceolate, base clasping, sometimes tapered, margins entire or ± serrate, apex acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, 5–20 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (3–)4–6, cymes 2–4(–6)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 14–50 × 6–17 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, narrowly conic, (3–)8–20 cm, axis glabrous or retrorsely hairy and sparsely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 2–6, cymes (2–)4–11-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 8–38 × 1–3 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels spreading or ascending, glabrous or retrorsely hairy and sparsely glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 6.5–13 × 2.5–4.8 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla pink to pinkish red or reddish violet, with red or crimson nectar guides, ventricose, 22–35 mm, glandular-pubescent internally, tube 8–11 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 10–13 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair exserted, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 0.9–1.2 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures smooth;

staminode 17–20 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.4–0.6 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 8–12 mm sparsely to moderately pilose, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 18–24 mm.

calyx lobes ovate, 3–6 × 1.5–2.1 mm, glabrous or glandular-pubescent;

corolla pale lavender to violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose, 15–22 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, sparsely to moderately white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 5–6 mm, throat abruptly inflated, 5–8 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1–1.2 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 10–12 mm, exserted, 0.4–0.5 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 5–7 mm moderately to densely pubescent, hairs yellow, to 2.3 mm;

style 12–15 mm.

Capsules

(7–)11–14 × 5–8.5 mm.

5–8 × 3.5–5 mm, glabrous.

Penstemon triflorus

Penstemon laevigatus

Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Meadows, floodplain forests, fields, rock outcrops, calcareous bluffs.
Elevation 10–400 m. (0–1300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; n Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; KY; LA; MA; MD; MS; NC; NJ; OH; PA; SC; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon triflorus occurs largely on the Edwards Plateau, though a few populations are known from adjacent physiographic provinces in central Texas.

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

Penstemon laevigatus primarily is a species of the Piedmont and eastern Appalachians; scattered populations occur outside those regions. L. La Cour (1931) reported a chromosome count of n = 48 for P. laevigatus. Without a voucher, it is impossible to know if this count was for the species as treated here, or P. calycosus or P. digitalis, which have been treated as infraspecific taxa of P. laevigatus.

An infusion made from Penstemon laevigatus is used by the Cherokee tribe of the southeastern United States as a gastrointestinal aid (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Key
1. Cauline leaf blades ovate to lanceolate, margins sharply serrate; calyx lobes 8–13 × 3–4.8 mm; corollas 30–35 mm.
var. triflorus
1. Cauline leaf blades lanceolate to linear, margins entire or obscurely, rarely sharply, serrate; calyx lobes 6.5–8.5 × 2.4–3.5 mm; corollas 22–30 mm.
var. integrifolius
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 142. FNA vol. 17, p. 210.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Cristati Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon
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. thurberi, P. tidestromii, P. tiehmii, P. tracyi, 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. 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. triflorus var. integrifolius, P. triflorus var. triflorus
Name authority A. Heller: Contr. Herb. Franklin Marshall Coll. 1: 92, plate 8. (1895) — (as Pentstemon) Aiton: Hort. Kew. 2: 361. (1789) — (as Pentstemon laevigata)
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