Plants: caudex sometimes herbaceous. Stems ascending to erect, (15–)20–45(–50) cm, glabrous. Leaves basal and cauline, glabrous; basal and proximal cauline 20–80(–102) × 2–25 mm, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, base tapered, apex rounded to obtuse or acute, sometimes mucronate; cauline 4–6 pairs, sessile, (16–)20–78 × 3–24 mm, blade ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, base clasping to cordate-clasping, apex acute to acuminate. Thyrses interrupted to nearly continuous, secund, 6–24(–31) cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters (2 or)3–10(–12), cymes 2–7-flowered; proximal bracts ovate, 9–70 × 2–26 mm; peduncles and pedicels glabrous. Flowers: calyx lobes ovate, 4–7 × 2.4–4 mm, margins erose, sometimes entire, broadly scarious, glabrous; corolla blue to violet or lavender, rarely pink, with reddish or reddish purple nectar guides, tubular-funnelform to ventricose, 15–25 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous or sparsely to densely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 8–11 mm, throat gradually inflated, 4–7 mm diam., rounded abaxially; stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, 1–1.4 mm, sutures papillate; staminode 10–13 mm, included or reaching orifice, 1–1.4 mm diam., tip abruptly recurved, bifurcate, distal 4–6 mm densely villous, hairs golden yellow, to 2 mm; style 9–15 mm. Capsules 9–12 × 7–9 mm.

Distribution

w United States.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Penstemon secundiflorus var. secundiflorus, Penstemon secundiflorus var. versicolor

Key

1	Cauline leaf blades lanceolate to ovate; corollas light blue or lavender, rarely pink, sparsely to densely white-villous internally abaxially; Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming.	Penstemon secundiflorus var. secundiflorus
1	Cauline leaf blades oblanceolate to ovate or elliptic; corollas dark blue or violet, glabrous or sparsely white-villous internally abaxially; Colorado.	Penstemon secundiflorus var. versicolor