Penstemon carnosus
Ann. Carnegie Mus. 26: 329. 1937.
Stems ascending to erect, 12–35 cm, glabrous. Leaves basal and cauline, glabrous; basal and proximal cauline 20–110 × 14–40(–60) mm, blade spatulate to obovate, base tapered, apex rounded, mucronate, or retuse; cauline 1–3 pairs, sessile, 20–58 × 8–23 mm, blade ovate to obovate or lanceolate, base tapered to cordate-clasping, apex obtuse to mucronate or retuse. Thyrses continuous, sometimes interrupted, cylindric, 3–15 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 5–10, cymes 2–6-flowered; proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 11–38 × 5–13 mm; peduncles and pedicels glabrous, rarely obscurely glandular distally. Flowers: calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4.5–8 × 1.8–2.4 mm, margins erose, broadly scarious, glabrous rarely obscurely glandular-pubescent proximally or along margins; corolla blue to violet, rarely pink, with or without reddish or purple nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 16–20(–22) mm, obscurely glandular externally or glabrous, sparsely white-villous internally abaxially or glabrous, tube 6–7 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–6 mm diam., rounded or slightly 2-ridged abaxially; stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, 0.8–1.4 mm, sutures papillate; staminode 8–10 mm, included or reaching orifice, 0.4–1 mm diam., tip strongly recurved, distal 3–4 mm moderately to densely pubescent, hairs golden yellow, to 0.7 mm; style 8–10 mm. Capsules 8–12 × 6–8 mm.
Phenology: Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat: Desert or sagebrush shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands.
Elevation: 1500–3000 m.
Discussion
Penstemon carnosus is known from eastern Utah from the Uinta Basin south to the San Rafael Swell, Henry Mountains, Aquarius and Paunsaugunt plateaus, and west to the Wasatch Plateau, documented in Carbon, Emery, Garfield, Kane, Sevier, and Wayne counties. The species is confused most frequently with P. lentus, which occurs to the southeast in the Abajo and La Sal mountains, and P. pachyphyllus, which occurs to the immediate north and west. Glands on the corollas usually are obscure; they are most easily observed on flower buds.
Selected References
None.