Penstemon crandallii
Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 26: 354. 1899. (as Pentstemon)
Stems prostrate, decumbent, ascending, or erect, 2–28 cm, retrorsely hairy or pubescent. Leaves not leathery, glabrous, glabrate, scabrous, or pubescent, hairs pointed; cauline (1 or)2–4 pairs, petiolate, (2–)4–47 × 0.5–8 mm, blade elliptic to obovate, oblanceolate, or linear, base tapered, apex acute to mucronate. Thyrses continuous, ± secund, 1–8(–16) cm, axis retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed and, usually, sparsely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters (1 or)2–8, cymes 1–4-flowered, 1 or 2 per node; proximal bracts oblanceolate to linear, 10–25 × 0.5–4 mm; peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, retrorsely hairy and, usually, sparsely glandular-pubescent. Flowers: calyx lobes lanceolate, 4–7(–7.5) × 0.9–1.8(–2.2) mm, broadly scarious-margined, apex acuminate to caudate, retrorsely puberulent, hairs pointed, and sparsely glandular-pubescent; corolla blue to violet or lavender, lined internally abaxially with violet or reddish purple nectar guides, funnelform, 14–20 mm, sparsely to densely yellow-lanate or yellow-pilose internally abaxially, tube 6–8 mm, throat gradually inflated, 6–8 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially; stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs opposite, navicular to subexplanate, 0.9–1.4 mm, sutures papillate; staminode 11–14 mm, reaching orifice or exserted, flattened distally, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 7–10 mm densely pilose, hairs golden yellow, to 1 mm; style 13–15 mm. Capsules 7–8 × 3.5–4.5 mm.
Distribution
Colo., N.Mex., Utah
Discussion
Varieties 5 (5 in the flora).
Penstemon crandallii comprises five partly sympatric, sometimes intergrading varieties.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Leaves glabrous or sparsely puberulent, especially along margins, blades obovate to elliptic; stems prostrate or decumbent; Colorado. | Penstemon crandallii var. procumbens |
| 1 | Leaves glabrate or scabrous to pubescent, blades linear, oblanceolate, or obovate; stems decumbent, ascending, or erect; Colorado, New Mexico, Utah. | > 2 |
| 2 | Leaf blades obovate or oblanceolate; stems decumbent to ascending. | > 3 |
| 3 | Leaves glabrate or scabrous, blades oblanceolate; Colorado, Utah. | Penstemon crandallii var. crandallii |
| 3 | Leaves ± scabrous, blades obovate or oblanceolate; Utah. | Penstemon crandallii var. atratus |
| 2 | Leaf blades linear to oblanceolate; stems ascending to erect. | > 4 |
| 4 | Stems retrorsely hairy or puberulent, ascending to erect; Colorado, New Mexico. | Penstemon crandallii var. glabrescens |
| 4 | Stems puberulent to pubescent, erect; Colorado. | Penstemon crandallii var. ramaleyi |