Stems erect, 10–80 cm, puberulent, pubescent, or densely villous. Leaves glandular-pubescent; proximal 10–40 mm, margins 3–5-lobed, lobes linear to filiform, 1–3 mm wide; distal 10–25 × 1 mm, margins entire. Inflorescences capitate spikes, 2–12-flowered, or flowers solitary; bracts 1–6, 10–40 mm, margins 3-lobed, lobes purple distally, narrowly lanceolate, linear, or filiform. Pedicels: bracteoles 10–40 mm, margins pinnately lobed. Flowers: calyx 15–30(–40) mm, tube 1–2.5 mm, apex 2-fid, cleft 2–3 mm; corolla lavender-pink to purple-red or yellow with purple veins and markings, 15–25(–30) mm, throat 5–7 mm diam., abaxial lip 5–10 mm, ca. equal to and appressed to adaxial; stamens 4, filaments hairy, fertile pollen sacs 2 per filament, equal. Capsules oblong-lanceoloid, 6–12 mm. Seeds 15–20, light brown, ovoid to reniform, 2–2.5 mm, reticulate and papillate.

Distribution

w United States.

Discussion

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Cordylanthus kingii subsp. densiflorus, Cordylanthus kingii subsp. helleri, Cordylanthus kingii subsp. kingii

Key

1	Bracts 3–6, lobes narrowly lanceolate to linear.	Cordylanthus kingii subsp. helleri
1	Bracts 1–3, lobes linear to filiform.	> 2
2	Corollas 15–25 mm; stems puberulent to pubescent; spikes 20–40 mm, 3–5(–8)-flowered.	Cordylanthus kingii subsp. kingii
2	Corollas 25–30 mm; stems densely villous; spikes 40–50 mm, 8–12-flowered.	Cordylanthus kingii subsp. densiflorus