Penstemon spectabilis

Herbs. Stems erect, (50–)80–120 cm, glaucous or not. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 40–100 × 8–50 mm, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, base tapered, margins coarsely dentate, apex obtuse to acute; cauline 5–8 pairs, sessile, 32–120 × 10–45 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base sessile, proximals usually auriculate-clasping, distal ones usually cordate-clasping, margins dentate to serrate, apex acute to acuminate. Thyrses interrupted, cylindric, 20–80 cm, axis glabrous or glandular-pubescent distally, verticillasters 9–16, cymes (1–)3–8(–13)-flowered; proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 15–35 × 4–25 mm; peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, glabrous or glandular-pubescent. Flowers: calyx lobes round to ovate or lanceolate, 3.5–5.5 × 2.5–3.2 mm, glabrous or glandular-pubescent; corolla lavender, blue, pink, or purple, with reddish purple nectar guides, strongly bilabiate, ventricose-ampliate, 24–34 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous or sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, glandular-pubescent adaxially, tube 7–9 mm, length 1.6–2 times calyx lobes, throat abruptly inflated, not constricted at orifice, 8–14 mm diam., rounded abaxially; stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, filaments of shorter pair glandular-puberulent proximally, pollen sacs navicular, 1.8–2.4 mm, sutures papillate or denticulate, papillae or teeth to 0.1 mm; staminode 15–16 mm, included, 0.5–0.9 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous distally or distal 1–2 mm sparsely pilose, hairs yellow, to 0.5 mm [5–6 mm moderately pilose, hairs yellow, to 1.5 mm], proximal 1–2 mm glandular-pubescent; style 15–19 mm, glabrous. Capsules 9–14 × 6–8 mm, glabrous. 2n = 16.

Distribution

w United States, nw Mexico.

Discussion

Varieties 3 (2 in the flora).

Penstemon spectabilis consists of three partially sympatric varieties: var. spectabilis in southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico; var. subinteger (D. D. Keck) C. C. Freeman known only from the area of El Rosario in Baja California; and var. subviscosus in southern California. Penstemon ×bryantiae D. D. Keck, a hybrid between P. palmeri and P. spectabilis, was described based on plants that volunteered in the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in 1935 (D. D. Keck 1937b). Penstemon ×parishii A. Gray is a hybrid between P. centranthifolius and P. spectabilis reported from Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, California (Keck; Paul Wilson and M. Valenzuela 2002).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Penstemon spectabilis var. spectabilis, Penstemon spectabilis var. subviscosus

Key

1	Pedicels and calyx lobes glabrous.	Penstemon spectabilis var. spectabilis
1	Pedicels and calyx lobes glandular-pubescent.	Penstemon spectabilis var. subviscosus