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

bluemist penstemon, Front Range beardtongue, green beardtongue

large beardtongue, largeflower penstemon, shell-leaf beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, 10–40 cm, puberulent or retrorsely hairy proximally, rarely glabrous, glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

erect, (40–)50–95(–120) cm, glabrous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 20–102 × 4–15 mm, blade lanceolate to oblanceolate or spatulate, base tapered, margins serrulate or denticulate, sometimes entire, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline (2 or)3–5 pairs, sessile, 18–50(–70) × 3–14 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins serrulate or denticulate, sometimes entire, apex acute to acuminate.

basal and cauline, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 30–160 × 6–50 mm, blade spatulate to obovate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 4–8 pairs, sessile, 18–90(–110) × 15–50 mm, blade spatulate to orbiculate, base clasping, apex rounded to obtuse.

Thyrses

interrupted or continuous, cylindric, 5–18 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–6(–8), cymes 2–5-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 6–40 × 2–10 mm, margins entire or serrulate to denticulate;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, puberulent or glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, cylindric, 12–30(–40) cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 3–7(–9), cymes 2–4-flowered;

proximal bracts ovate to elliptic or orbiculate, (9–)16–83 × (9–)16–54 mm;

peduncles and pedicels glabrous.

Flowers

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 2–4.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla blue to light purple or violet, with reddish purple to bluish purple nectar guides, funnelform, 10–16(–18) mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately white-pilose internally abaxially, tube 4–5 mm, throat 3–5 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent to opposite, navicular, 0.6–0.8 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or ± papillate;

staminode 8–10 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 4–5 mm moderately to densely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 1.3 mm;

style 8–11 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 7–11 × 2.5–4 mm, margins entire, rarely erose, herbaceous or narrowly scarious, glabrous;

corolla lavender to blue or pinkish blue, with magenta nectar guides, ampliate, 35–48 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 10–13 mm, throat abruptly inflated, 15–18 mm diam., rounded abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, 2.1–2.6 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 16–21 mm, included or reaching orifice, 2–2.6 mm diam., tip recurved to coiled, distal 1–2 mm sparsely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 0.5 mm;

style 19–30 mm.

Capsules

5–7 × 2–3 mm, glabrous.

16–20(–25) × 8–15 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon virens

Penstemon grandiflorus

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Rocky or gravelly soils, shortgrass prairies, foothills, and mountain meadows. Sandy or calcareous soils, tallgrass, mixed-grass, and sand prairies.
Elevation 1600–2600 m. (5200–8500 ft.) 200–1800(–2400) m. (700–5900(–7900) ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; CT; IA; IL; IN; KS; MA; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; OH; OK; SD; TX; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon virens is known in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains from Raton Mesa in south-central Colorado to the eastern Sierra Madre and Medicine Bow and Laramie mountains of southeastern Wyoming.

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

Widely distributed in the western Midwest and Great Plains in the United States, Penstemon grandiflorus is cultivated as an ornamental for its showy flowers. Reports from Connecticut (D. W. Magee and H. E. Ahles 2007), Indiana (K. Yatskievych 2000), Massachusetts (Magee and Ahles), Michigan (E. G. Voss 1972–1996), and Ohio (T. S. Cooperrider 1995) appear to be based on introductions. Penstemon grandiflorus has been seeded along highways in Iowa and Nebraska, where it is also native.

The validity of the name Penstemon grandiflorus has been debated owing to the meager diagnosis by Nuttall. The name is accepted here, making P. bradburyi Pursh, an illegitimate, superfluous replacement for P. grandiflorus.

The Dakota, Kiowa, and Sioux tribes, centered in the Great Plains, use Penstemon grandiflorus as an analgesic, a gastrointestinal aid, and for fevers (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 226. FNA vol. 17, p. 118.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Coerulei
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. venustus, 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. 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. venustus, P. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, P. washingtonensis, P. watsonii, P. whippleanus, P. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Name authority Pennell ex Rydberg: Fl. Rocky Mts., 773, 1066. (1917) — (as Pentstemon) Nuttall: Cat. Pl. Upper Louisiana, no. 64. (1813) — (as grandiflorum)
Web links