Penstemon similar species, part 1: tall plants with one-sided, pink/blue/purple flowers

Summary: these are some of the species of Section Glabri found from Wyoming to New Mexico to Nevada. My goal is to provide a brief account for each species as a quick glance reference. The hotspot of diversity and possible confusion is southern Utah and northern Arizona, where all except a few grow. The archetype of this group is Penstemon virgatus: https://swbiodiversity.org/imglib/h_seinet/seinet/Scrophulariaceae/photos/Penstemon-virgatus-FL-web-N.jpg

Montane forests:
Penstemon cyananthus - densely bearded staminode
Penstemon cyaneus
Penstemon deaveri
Penstemon glaber
Penstemon leiophyllus - short, white hairs on the inside of the upper corolla lobes that look like tiny sugar crystals
Penstemon navajoa
Penstemon neomexicanus
Penstemon nudiflorus
Penstemon putus
Penstemon pseudoputus
Penstemon speciosus - glabrous corollas
Penstemon strictus - woolly anthers
Penstemon virgatus virgatus

Desert, grasslands, and shrublands:
Penstemon commarhenus - extra woolly anthers, linear leaves
Penstemon laevis - glabrous corollas
Penstemon parvus - linear leaves
Penstemon strictiformis - woolly anthers
Penstemon subglaber
Penstemon virgatus asa-grayi (includes the former P unilateralis)

more descriptions will be added

Posted on 31 August, 2021 19:03 by egordon88