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

dark beardtongue, Whipple's beardtongue, Whipple's penstemon

Griffin's beardtongue

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Stems

ascending to erect, (8–)20–65(–100) cm, glabrous or ± puberulent proximally, ± puberulent or glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

erect, 12–50 cm, retrorsely hairy proximally, becoming glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous;

basal and proximal cauline 40–90(–130) × (5–)10–30(–75) mm, blade ovate to lanceolate or elliptic, base tapered to cuneate, margins entire or ± repand, denticulate, or dentate, apex obtuse to acute;

cauline 2–5 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 25–60(–85) × 3–15(–25) mm, blade lanceolate to oblanceolate, base tapered to clasping or cordate-clasping, margins entire, sometimes ± repand to denticulate, apex obtuse to acute.

basal and cauline, not leathery, glabrous or retrorsely hairy abaxially along midvein and glabrous adaxially, ± glaucescent;

basal and proximal cauline 13–55 × 4–8(–12) mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to acute;

cauline 2–5(or 6) pairs, sessile, 5–40(–52) × 0.3–5 mm, blade linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex acuminate.

Thyrses

interrupted or continuous, secund, (2–)5–35 cm, axis sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 2–5(–7), cymes 2–4-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 11–85 × 1–18 mm, margins entire or ± repand proximally;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, secund, 1–14 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (1–)3 or 4(or 5), cymes 1–3-flowered, 1(or 2) per node;

proximal bracts linear, 3–15 × 0.3–1.4 mm;

peduncles and pedicels erect, sometimes ascending, glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, 7–10 × 1–2.2 mm, glandular-pubescent;

corolla brownish purple to bluish violet, sometimes ochroleucous, lavender, or white, with alternating white or lavender and purple nectar guides in dark-colored forms, with lavender nectar guides in light-colored forms, ventricose to ventricose-ampliate, 20–27(–30) mm, glandular-pubescent externally, sparsely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 5–8 mm, throat abruptly inflated, 8–10 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, explanate, 1–1.4 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures smooth;

staminode 12–15 mm, reaching orifice or exserted, 0.6–1.1 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal 1–3 mm sparsely to densely villous, hairs yellow, to 1 mm;

style 12–16 mm.

calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 3.8–7.5 × 1.5–2.6 mm, glabrescent or glandular-pubescent;

corolla violet to blue or purple, with violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 17–25 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, densely golden-villous internally abaxially, tube 4–7 mm, throat slightly inflated, 5–7 mm diam., prominently 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, pollen sacs divergent to opposite, navicular, 1–1.3 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, sutures papillate;

staminode 10–13 mm, included, 0.2–0.3 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 7–11 mm densely pilose, hairs golden, to 1.5 mm;

style 12–17 mm.

Capsules

6–9 × 4–5 mm, glandular-puberulent distally.

6–9 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Penstemon whippleanus

Penstemon griffinii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug(–Sep). Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Rocky slopes in subalpine forests, alpine meadows. Rocky hillsides, open coniferous forests, montane grasslands.
Elevation 2100–3700 m. (6900–12100 ft.) 2500–3000 m. (8200–9800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MT; NM; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Penstemon whippleanus is known from forests and meadows of the Southern and Central Rocky mountains and westward into the Wasatch Mountains and Utah Plateaus. Plants with light-colored corollas often are found growing next to plants with dark-colored corollas.

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

Populations of Penstemon griffinii are documented in Chaffee, Conejos, Fremont, Mineral, Park, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties, Colorado, and Rio Arriba and Taos counties, New Mexico. Penstemon griffinii can be confused with narrow-leaved plants of P. degeneri, but the pubescence on the internal abaxial surfaces of the corollas of P. griffinii is consistently golden-lanate and extends from the abaxial limbs 5–8 mm into the throats of the corollas. In P. degeneri, the internal abaxial surfaces of the corollas are white- or yellow-lanate, sometimes sparsely so, and the indument barely extends into the throats of the corollas.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 227. FNA vol. 17, p. 206.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon 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. triflorus, P. triphyllus, P. tubaeflorus, P. uintahensis, P. utahensis, P. venustus, P. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, P. washingtonensis, P. watsonii, 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. 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 A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 73. (1862) — (as Pentstemon) A. Nelson: Bot. Gaz. 56: 70. (1913) — (as Pentstemon)
Web links