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

Washington beardtongue, Washington penstemon

Adobe beardtongue, Adobe Hills beardtongue

Habit Herbs.
Stems

erect, 3–25 cm, glabrous or ± retrorsely hairy, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 10–20 cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline (10–)17–60 × 5–18 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, lanceolate, or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse or acute;

cauline 2–6 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 10–55 × 3–15 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

not leathery, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed;

basal and proximal cauline 5–21 × 1–4 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse;

cauline 2–4 pairs, petiolate or sessile, 8–30 × 2–5 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse, acute, or mucronate.

Thyrses

interrupted, cylindric, 1–6 cm, axis sparsely glandular-pubescent, sometimes also retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 1–3(or 4), cymes 2–6-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 2–15 × 1–7 mm, margins entire;

peduncles and pedicels erect, sparsely to moderately glandular-pubescent.

continuous, cylindric, 3–12 cm, axis retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, verticillasters 4–12, cymes 1–4-flowered, 1 or 2 per node;

proximal bracts oblanceolate, 11–22 × 2–3 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, 3–4 × 0.8–1.2 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla dark blue, sometimes whitish, without nectar guides, funnelform, 9–12 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, moderately whitish lanate internally abaxially, tube 3–4 mm, throat slightly inflated, 2–3 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs opposite, explanate to subexplanate, 0.5–0.6 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 5–6 mm, included, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 0.5–1 mm moderately pilose, hairs golden yellow, to 0.5 mm;

style 4–6 mm.

calyx tube 1.5–2 mm, lobes lanceolate to oblong, 3.5–4.5 × 0.7–1.2 mm, herbaceous- or narrowly scarious-margined, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed;

corolla bluish violet, lined internally abaxially with reddish violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 16–20 mm, sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 6–7 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4.5–6 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs opposite, subexplanate, 0.7–0.9 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode 7–9 mm, included or reaching orifice, flattened distally, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 4–6 mm pubescent, hairs yellowish orange, to 0.8 mm;

style 12–15 mm.

Capsules

4–7 × 2.5–4 mm, glabrous.

not seen.

Penstemon washingtonensis

Penstemon retrorsus

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug(–Sep). Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Alpine meadows, rocky slopes, grassy openings in pine-fir forests. Clay soils, sagebrush, saltbush shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands.
Elevation 1800–2300 m. (5900–7500 ft.) 1500–2500 m. (4900–8200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon washingtonensis is known from Chelan and Okanogan counties. Except for its glandular-pubescent inflorescence, P. washingtonensis is morphologically similar to P. procerus var. tolmiei.

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

Penstemon retrorsus is known only from Delta and Montrose counties, where populations occur on barren hills of the Mancos Shale. It is unique in having calyx tubes roughly as long as the calyx lobes.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 226. FNA vol. 17, p. 105.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Caespitosi
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. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, 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. 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 D. D. Keck: Amer. Midl. Naturalist 33: 150. (1945) Payson ex Pennell: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20: 373. (1920)
Web links