Penstemon pachyphyllus

Stems ascending to erect, (10–)15–57 cm, glabrous. Leaves basal and cauline, glabrous; basal and proximal cauline 18–180 × 5–45(–53) mm, blade spatulate to lanceolate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse, acute, or mucronate; cauline 2–5 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 15–80 × 7–32 mm, blade obovate, ovate, oblanceolate, or lanceolate, base tapered, clasping, or cordate-clasping, apex acute to rounded or mucronate. Thyrses continuous or interrupted, cylindric, (5–)9–27 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (2–)4–10, cymes (1–)3–6-flowered; proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate or oblong, 9–46 × 7–15 mm; peduncles and pedicels glabrous, peduncles to 26 mm. Flowers: calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, (2.5–)4–7 × 1.8–2.8 mm, margins entire or erose, broadly scarious, apex acute to acuminate or caudate, glabrous; corolla blue to violet, sometimes lavender, with or without reddish violet nectar guides, tubular-funnelform to ventricose, 12–20 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally or sparsely white-villous abaxially, tube 4–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–6 mm diam., rounded abaxially; stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, (0.7–)1–1.5 mm, sutures smooth or papillate; staminode 8–12 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, (0.2–)0.5–2 mm diam., tip recurved, prominently bifurcate, distal 4–8 mm densely villous, hairs yellow to golden yellow, to 2.5 mm; style 11–15 mm. Capsules 10–14 × 5–7 mm. Seeds 2–3 mm.

Distribution

w United States.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

E. C. Neese (1993) considered Penstemon mucronatus transitional to P. pachyphyllus var. pachyphyllus in northeastern Utah. Penstemon mucronatus is distinguished from P. pachyphyllus var. pachyphyllus by its narrower staminodes bearing shorter, less tangled hairs, and its nectar guides extending onto the corolla limbs.

The Havasupai tribe of northwestern Arizona uses leaves of Penstemon pachyphyllus to make a deer call for hunting (D. E. Moerman 1998).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Penstemon pachyphyllus var. congestus, Penstemon pachyphyllus var. pachyphyllus

Key

1	Staminodes 8–9 × 1–2 mm, distal 6–8 mm densely villous, hairs to 2.5 mm; Utah.	Penstemon pachyphyllus var. pachyphyllus
1	Staminodes 10–12 × (0.2–)0.5–1 mm, distal 4–7 mm densely villous, hairs to 1.5 mm; Arizona, Nevada, Utah.	Penstemon pachyphyllus var. congestus