Penstemon neomexicanus

Stems erect, sometimes ascending, 30–63 cm, glabrous, not glaucous. Leaves basal and cauline, or basal absent, not leathery, glabrous or retrorsely hairy, not glaucous; basal and proximal cauline 30–90(–116) × 5–26 mm, blade oblanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute; cauline 6–12 pairs, sessile, 25–113 × 3–13 mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered to truncate, apex obtuse to acute. Thyrses continuous, sometimes interrupted, secund, 16–30 cm, axis glabrous, verticillasters 7–11, cymes 1–4-flowered, (1 or)2 per node; proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 10–72 × 1–12 mm; peduncles and pedicels glabrous. Flowers: calyx lobes lanceolate to elliptic, 3–5 × 2–2.6 mm, glabrous; corolla lavender to violet, with reddish purple nectar guides, ventricose, 26–34 mm, glabrous externally, sparsely to densely white-villous internally abaxially, tube 7–8 mm, throat gradually to abruptly inflated, not constricted at orifice, 7–10 mm diam., rounded abaxially; stamens: longer pair exserted, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1.4–1.9 mm, dehiscing completely, sides glabrous, sutures smooth or papillate; staminode 14–16 mm, reaching orifice or exserted, 1–1.2 mm diam., tip straight, glabrous; style 14–18 mm. Capsules 9–14 × 5–6 mm. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat: Slopes and clearings in pine, pine-spruce, and spruce-fir forests.
Elevation: 1800–2700 m.

N.Mex., Mexico (Chihuahua).

Discussion

Penstemon neomexicanus is known from the Capitan, Sacramento, and White mountains in Lincoln and Otero counties. The species is also known from a single historic collection from near Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua. G. T. Nisbet and R. C. Jackson (1960) suggested that some plants from northern Lincoln and southern Torrance counties might be hybrids between P. neomexicanus and P. virgatus. Specimens from the vicinity of the Gallinas Mountains are referred here to P. neomexicanus.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa