Penstemon monoensis

Stems ascending to erect, 7–35 cm, puberulent, hairs usually white, scalelike. Leaves basal and cauline, or basal sometimes few or absent, ± leathery, densely retrorsely hairy, hairs white, scalelike; basal and proximal cauline petiolate, (28–) 50–130 × 7–40 mm, blade ovate to oblong, base tapered, margins entire or dentate (often crisped), apex obtuse to acute; cauline 2–4 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 35–83 × 7–26 mm, blade elliptic to deltate-ovate or lanceolate, base tapered to clasping, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute or acuminate. Thyrses continuous to ± interrupted, cylindric, 4–23 cm, axis glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 4–9, cymes (1 or) 2–7-flowered, 2 per node; proximal bracts ovate to lanceolate, 19–61 × 15–30 mm; peduncles and pedicels glandular-pubescent. Flowers: calyx lobes lanceolate, 8–11 × 1.6–2 mm, glandular-pubescent; corolla pink to reddish-pink or violet, with or without faint reddish nectar guides, tubular-funnelform, 14–20 mm, sparsely white-lanate internally abaxially, tube 5–7 mm, throat gradually inflated, not constricted at orifice, 4–7 mm diam., 2-ridged abaxially; stamens included, pollen-sacs divergent, navicular-sigmoid, 1.1–1.4 mm, dehiscing incompletely, connective not splitting, sutures papillate; staminode 8–10 mm, included, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., tip straight to recurved, distal 5–7 mm densely pilose, hairs golden yellow, to 1 mm; style 11–13 mm. Capsules 6–9 × 4–5.5 mm.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat: Sandy or gravelly washes and hills, sagebrush shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands.
Elevation: 1200–2100 m.

Calif.

Discussion

Penstemon monoensis occurs in the Inyo and White mountains in Inyo and Mono counties. The species appears to be closely related to P. calcareus. They differ by their herbage indument and anther morphology.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa