Penstemon confusus

Illustrator: John Myers

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Stems erect, 3–40(–44) cm, glaucous. Leaves glabrous or obscurely scabrous, especially along margins, glaucous; basal and proximal cauline (25–)30–60 × 5–10(–14) mm, blade oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes mucronate; cauline 2 or 3 pairs, sessile, 15–50(–57) × 2–8(–12) mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex acute. Thyrses ± interrupted, cylindric to ± secund, (2–)3–25(–30) cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 3–10, cymes 1–5-flowered; proximal bracts lanceolate, 7–30(–50) × 3–12 mm; peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, glabrous. Flowers: calyx lobes ovate to obovate, rarely elliptic, (3.5–)4–6 × 1.8–3 mm, margins entire or erose, glabrous; corolla violet or reddish violet to purple, with reddish or reddish purple nectar guides, bilaterally symmetric, bilabiate, tubular-funnelform, 14–18(–20) mm, glabrous or glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous or glandular-pubescent internally, tube 6–8 mm, throat gradually inflated, 6–7 mm diam., rounded or slightly 2-ridged abaxially; stamens included, pollen sacs navicular, sometimes explanate, 0.9–1.2 mm, sutures smooth or papillate; staminode 8–9 mm, flattened distally, 0.5–0.6 mm diam., tip recurved, distal 1–2 mm papillate, papillae golden yellow, to 0.2 mm, rarely glabrous; style 10–12 mm. Capsules 8–11 × 4–6 mm.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Gravelly, often calcareous, soils, sagebrush shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands.
Elevation: 1700–2200 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ariz., Nev., Utah.

Discussion

Penstemon confusus is known from northwestern Arizona, east-central Nevada, and southeastern Utah. The species is barely sympatric with P. utahensis in Lincoln County, Nevada, and Washington County, Utah.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.