Penstemon lanceolatus
Pl. Hartw., 22. 1839.
Stems 24–75(–98) cm, sparsely to densely retrorsely hairy or puberulent, usually also glandular-pubescent distally. Leaves retrorsely hairy; basal and proximal cauline 8–80 × 3–12 mm, blade lanceolate or spatulate, base tapered, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse or acute; cauline 7–15 pairs, 9–85(–110) × 1–11(–22) mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered to truncate, apex acute to acuminate, rarely obtuse. Thyrses ± secund, 5–36 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–6, cymes 1 or 2(or 3)-flowered; proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 5–16 × 1–3 mm; peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent, sometimes also retrorsely hairy. Flowers: calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 2.9–7 × 1.5–2.5(–3.6) mm, glandular-pubescent; corolla scarlet to red, unlined internally or lined on abaxial surface with faint reddish purple nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 22–35 mm, glandular-pubescent internally abaxially, tube 5–6 mm, throat gradually inflated, 6–8 mm diam., rounded abaxially; stamens exserted (hidden by galeate adaxial lobes), pollen sacs parallel to divergent, 1.5–2 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.2 mm; staminode 15–17 mm, included, 0.3–0.4 mm diam.; style 25–30 mm, usually barely exserted from galea. Capsules 9–14 × 6–7 mm. 2n = 16.
Phenology: Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat: Gravelly pinyon-juniper woodlands, pine woodlands, thorn scrub, desert grasslands.
Elevation: 1200–1800 m.
Distribution
Ariz., N.Mex., Tex., Mexico (Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nayarit, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Zacatecas).
Discussion
Penstemon lanceolatus is known from southern Arizona (Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee counties), southern New Mexico (Doña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, and Sierra counties), and western Texas (Brewster County).
Crosswhite published Penstemon ramosus as an avowed substitute for the homonym P. pauciflorus Greene, distinguishing P. ramosus from P. lanceolatus by the former’s branched stems and relatively narrower leaves (1 mm wide versus 4–8 mm wide) with revolute margins. He mapped P. ramosus in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico and P. lanceolatus in western Texas and northern Mexico. Morphologic differences between these taxa are not consistent enough to warrant recognition of P. ramosus (J. L. Anderson et al. 2007).