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Blue Mountain penstemon, elegant beardtongue, elegant penstemon, lovely beardtongue, Venus penstemon

northern beardtongue, Salmon River beardtongue

Habit Subshrubs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 18–80 cm, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, not glaucous.

decumbent, ascending, or erect, 3–12 cm, retrorsely hairy.

Leaves

cauline, opposite, glabrous, sometimes glaucous;

cauline 7–15 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, (20–)40–100(–120) × (7–)10–30(–38) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to truncate, margins subentire or serrate, apex acute.

basal and cauline or mostly basal, not leathery, retrorsely hairy;

basal and proximal cauline short-petiolate or sessile, 7–35(–50) × 1–4 mm, blade oblanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 1–3 pairs, sessile, 12–30 × 1–4 mm, blade oblanceolate to oblong or linear, usually arcuate, base tapered, margins entire, apex acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, ± secund, (2–)7–40 cm, axis glabrous or retrorsely hairy, verticillasters (3–)5–14, cymes 2–7-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, (6–)23–70(–115) × (1–)4–28(–35) mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous or retrorsely hairy.

interrupted to compact, cylindric, 1–6 cm, axis retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 1–6, cymes 1- or 2-flowered, 1 or 2 per node;

proximal bracts oblanceolate to lanceolate, 7–30 × 1–3 mm;

peduncles and pedicels retrorsely hairy and sparsely glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to obovate or lanceolate, 2.5–6 × 1.3–1.8 mm, glabrous except for margins sometimes ciliate;

corolla lavender to purple or violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, weakly ventricose, 24–38 mm, glabrous externally except lobe margins densely white-ciliate, glabrous internally, tube 7–9 mm, throat gradually inflated, 9–10 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, filaments white-lanate distally, rarely glabrous, pollen sacs parallel, 1.6–2.1 mm, distal 1/2–2/3 indehiscent, sides hispidulous, hairs white, to 0.2 mm near point of attachment of connective, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.2 mm;

staminode 16–19 mm, reaching orifice or barely exserted, 0.4–0.5 mm diam., distal 2–5 mm sparsely to moderately lanate, hairs white, to 2 mm;

style 18–25 mm.

calyx lobes lanceolate, 4.5–7 × 1.5–2 mm, puberulent and glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 15–20(–23) mm, glabrous or sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 6–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 0.9–1.2 mm, dehiscing completely, sutures papillate;

staminode 9–12 mm, included, 0.5–0.6 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 6–8 mm sparsely pilose, hairs yellow, to 0.5 mm;

style 9–11 mm.

Capsules

6–9 × 4–5 mm.

4–7 × 3.5–5.5 mm.

2n

= 64.

Penstemon venustus

Penstemon pumilus

Phenology Flowering (May–)Jun–Sep. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Rock outcrops, rocky and talus slopes, especially on basalt, shrublands, forest clearings. Gravelly soils, limestone, sagebrush shrublands.
Elevation 300–2700 m. (1000–8900 ft.) 1400–2100 m. (4600–6900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; OR; UT; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon venustus is known from the Snake River Plateau in west-central Idaho, northeastern Oregon, and southeastern Washington and is naturalized in Lassen County, California. E. C. Neese and N. D. Atwood (2003) reported P. venustus, apparently introduced, from Duchesne County, Utah. E. Heitz (1927) reported a chromosome number of 2n = 14–16 for P. venustus; that count conflicts with all other reports for P. venustus.

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

Penstemon pumilus is known from east-central Idaho in Butte, Clark, Custer, and Lemhi counties. The arcuate cauline leaves with acute apices and tufted basal leaves reliably distinguish this species from the other diminutive members of sect. Cristati.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 245. FNA vol. 17, p. 142.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera 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. thurberi, P. tidestromii, P. tiehmii, P. tracyi, P. triflorus, P. triphyllus, P. tubaeflorus, P. uintahensis, P. utahensis, 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. 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
Name authority Douglas ex Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 16: plate 1309. (1830) — (as Pentstemon venustum) Nuttall: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 46. (1834) — (as Pentstemon pumilum)
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