Subshrubs. Stems ascending to erect, 20–95 cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, not glaucous. Leaves cauline, opposite or subopposite, glabrate or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous; cauline 5–13 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 13–70 × 5–30 mm, blade ovate to lanceolate, base tapered, margins laciniate-dentate to irregularly laciniate-pinnatifid, apex obtuse to acute. Thyrses interrupted, cylindric, 2–25(–48) cm, axis densely glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–7(–15), cymes 2–7-flowered, 1 or 2 per node; proximal bracts lanceolate, 7–43 × 2–16 mm; peduncles and pedicels spreading, sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent. Flowers: calyx lobes ovate to lanceolate, 4–7 × 1.3–2.3 mm, glandular-pubescent; corolla bluish to lavender, or pinkish, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose-ampliate, 15–32 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, glabrous internally or sparsely to moderately white-lanate abaxially, tube 7–12 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–14 mm diam., rounded abaxially; stamens: longer pair reaching orifice or exserted, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs parallel, 1.3–2 mm, distal 1/2 indehiscent, sides glabrous, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.2 mm; staminode 16–23 mm, exserted, 0.3–0.8 mm diam., glabrous or distal 2–8 mm sparsely lanate, hairs yellow, to 2 mm; style 11–23 mm. Capsules 5–9 × 4–5 mm. 2n = 16.

Distribution

w North America.

Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Penstemon richardsonii consists of three weakly differentiated varieties that are partially sympatric on the eastern slope of the Cascade Range.

The Okanagan-Coville tribe of northeastern Washington and the Paiute tribe of the Great Basin region used Penstemon richardsonii as a drug plant to treat typhoid fever and as a dermatological aid (D. E. Moerman 1998).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Penstemon richardsonii var. curtiflorus, Penstemon richardsonii var. dentatus, Penstemon richardsonii var. richardsonii

Key

1	Corollas 15–20 mm; styles 11–15 mm; staminodes glabrous or sparsely hairy distally.	Penstemon richardsonii var. curtiflorus
1	Corollas 22–32 mm; styles 16–23 mm; staminodes with distal 2–8 mm sparsely lanate, rarely glabrous.	> 2
2	Leaf blades ovate to lanceolate (in outline), margins laciniate-dentate to irregularly laciniate-pinnatifid.	Penstemon richardsonii var. richardsonii
2	Leaf blades ovate, sometimes lanceolate, margins dentate, rarely laciniate-dentate.	Penstemon richardsonii var. dentatus