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

northern smooth beardtongue, smooth penstemon

Habit Subshrubs.
Stems

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

erect, (10–)18–90(–130) cm, glabrous proximally, usually sparsely glandular distally, not glaucous.

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, not leathery, glabrous, not glaucous;

basal and proximal cauline 35–140(–170) × 8–24 mm, blade oblanceolate, sometimes lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 3–6(–11) pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 28–95(–130) × 4–15 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, 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, secund, (4–)12–38 cm, axis glabrous or glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–12, cymes 1–3(–6)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, (3–)15–75 × (1–)2–22 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent, sometimes sparsely so.

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 ovate to lanceolate, 4.5–7.5 × (1.5–)2.1–2.8 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to violet or purple, with violet nectar guides, ventricose, 19–28 mm, ± glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally, tube 6–10(–11) mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 7–10 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1.6–2 mm, dehiscing incompletely, connective not splitting, sides sparsely to moderately hispid or pubescent, hairs white, to 0.2 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 13–16 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, 0.6–0.8 mm diam., tip straight, distal 2–3 mm sparsely villous, hairs yellow, to 0.7 mm;

style 14–18 mm.

Capsules

6–9 × 4–5 mm.

8–12 × 5–6 mm.

2n

= 64.

= 16.

Penstemon venustus

Penstemon subglaber

Phenology Flowering (May–)Jun–Sep. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Rock outcrops, rocky and talus slopes, especially on basalt, shrublands, forest clearings. Sagebrush shrublands, clearings in fir forests.
Elevation 300–2700 m. (1000–8900 ft.) 1600–3400 m. (5200–11200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; OR; UT; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Studies of morphology and flavonoids confirm the distinctness of Penstemon subglaber from P. mensarum and P. saxosorum (M. L. Moorman 1982). Penstemon subglaber occurs primarily from the Teton and Wind River mountains of western Wyoming through the Uinta and Wasatch mountains to the Tushar Mountains in south-central Utah.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 245. FNA vol. 17, p. 181.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera 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. 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. 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. 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. glaber var. utahensis
Name authority Douglas ex Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 16: plate 1309. (1830) — (as Pentstemon venustum) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 36: 688. (1909) — (as Pentstemon)
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