Penstemon caryi

Stems ascending to erect, 9–35 cm, glabrous, often glutinous and covered with sand, not glaucous. Leaves basal and cauline, ± leathery or not, glabrous, often glutinous and covered with sand, not glaucous; basal and proximal cauline 18–105 × 1–10 mm, blade oblanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute; cauline (2 or) 3 or 4 pairs, petiolate or sessile, 28–110 × 1–6 mm, blade linear, base tapered to truncate, apex acute. Thyrses continuous, secund, 3–26 cm, axis glabrous, sometimes glutinous and covered with sand, verticillasters 3–6 (–9), cymes 1–3-flowered, 2 per node; proximal bracts linear, 22–115 × 1.5–4 mm; peduncles and pedicels glabrous, sometimes glutinous and covered with sand. Flowers: calyx lobes lanceolate, (6–) 7–12 × 2.8–4 mm, glabrous, glutinous and sometimes covered with sand; corolla blue to violet or purple, with violet nectar guides, ventricose, 20–28 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 8–9 mm, throat abruptly inflated, slightly constricted at orifice, (7–) 10–12 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially; stamens: longer pair reaching orifice, pollen-sacs divergent, navicular-sigmoid, 2–2.5 mm, dehiscing incompletely, proximal 1/5 indehiscent, connective not splitting, sides moderately villous or lanate, hairs white, to 1 mm, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm; staminode: 11–18 mm, reaching orifice or slightly exserted, 0.6–0.8 mm diam., tip straight, distal 1–2 mm sparsely to moderately pilose, hairs yellow, to 1 mm; style 17–20 mm. Capsules (5–) 7–11 × (4–) 5–8 mm.

Phenology: Flowering May–Jul(–Aug).
Habitat: Rock outcrops, rocky soils, sagebrush shrublands, juniper, Douglas-fir, and limber pine woodlands.
Elevation: 1600–2900 m.

Mont., Wyo.

Discussion

Penstemon caryi is known from the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming (Big Horn, Sheridan, and Washakie counties) and the Pryor Mountains of Montana (Carbon County).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa