| MtBotany/Zandbak | |
|---|---|
| |
| Flowering in Wayne County, Utah | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Penstemon |
| Species: | P. ophianthus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Penstemon ophianthus Pennell, 1920
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editPenstemon ophianthus is a small herbaceous plant that may be 10 to 40 centimeters tall, but is usually 13 to 36 cm. It may also have one or more stems that grow straight upwards or curve outwards and then upwards.[2] They have both cauline and basal leaves, leaves on its stems those growing directly from its base.[3] The above ground parts grow from a branched caudex atop a taproot.[4]
The leaves are both cauline and basal, attached to the stems and directly to the base of the plant. The basal leaves and the lowest ones on the stems measure 1.6 to 12 centimeters long and 0.6 to 2.2 cm wide. They are oblanceolate in shape with edges that are smooth or sinuate-dentate, having rounded teeth and deep wavy indentations, and attached to the plant by a petiole. There are two to four pairs of cauline leaves with the upper ones much narrower, somewhat shorter, and directly attached to the stems or with just a short petiole.[2]
The inflorescence has the flowers more or less all facing to one side and four to nine groups of flowers with bracts 1.2–7 centimeters long under each. In each group there will be two cymes with between one and seven flowers, though usually at least three.[2] The flowers have a ground color of lavender, violet, or blue-violet with bold deep purple nectar guides on all the flower lobes. Very rarely, they may be white.[5] The flower is 14 to 22 millimeters long with an opening 7–11 mm in diameter that expands abruptly towards the front and is not constricted.[2] The flower's throat is white other than the purple nectar guides and covered in soft, white glandular hairs.[5] The staminode is obviously exserted, extending out of the flower's opening, and thickly covered in long yellow hairs. Blooming may be as early as the end of May or as late as the start of July.[3]
Taxonomy
editPenstemon ophianthus was scientifically described and named by Francis W. Pennell in 1920.[1] The type specimen had been collected in 1894 by Marcus E. Jones near the Utah towns of Bicknell (then Thurber) and Loa.[6][5] However, it was identified at the time as Penstemon moffatti.[6] This species is closely related to Penstemon jamesii and Penstemon breviculus. The botanists Ronald Lee Hartman and B.E. Nelson considered P. breviculus and Penstemon parviflorus to be synonyms of P. ophianthus.[3] Though as of 2024 they are not synonyms according to Plants of the World Online.[1]
Names
editThe species name, ophianthus, is a compound from snake and flower.[3] In English it is known by the common name Loa penstemon or coiled anther penstemon.[7][8]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Penstemon ophianthus Pennell". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d Freeman, Craig C. (29 July 2020) [2019]. "Penstemon ophianthus". Flora of North America. p. 141. ISBN 978-0190868512. OCLC 1101573420. Archived from the original on 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d Heil, Kenneth D.; O'Kane, Jr., Steve L.; Reeves, Linda Mary; Clifford, Arnold (2013). Flora of the Four Corners Region: Vascular Plants of the San Juan River Drainage, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah (First ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. p. 722. ISBN 978-1-930723-84-9. ISSN 0161-1542. LCCN 2012949654. OCLC 859541992. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ Cronquist, Arthur; Holmgren, Arthur H.; Holmgren, Noel H.; Reveal, James L.; Holmgren, Patricia K. Intermountain Flora : Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A.. Vol. 4. Subclass Asteridae (except Asteraceae) (First ed.). Bronx, New York: New York Botanical Garden. pp. 410–412. ISBN 978-0-231-04120-1. OCLC 320442. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
- ^ a b c Heflin, Jean (1997). Penstemons : The Beautiful Beardtongues of New Mexico. Albuquerque, New Mexico: Jackrabbit Press. p. 31–32. ISBN 978-0-9659693-0-7. LCCN 98111240. OCLC 39050925. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ a b Pennell, Francis W. (29 April 1920). "Scrophulariaceae of the Central Rocky Mountain States". Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. 20: 343–344. ISSN 0097-1618. JSTOR 23492247. Archived from the original on 4 January 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ Duri, Anne (2015). Sandstone Country Wildflowers : The Red Shoe Guide. [place of publication not identified]: [Red Shoe Guides]. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-692-42527-5. OCLC 1285759622. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
- ^ "Coiled Anther Penstemon". Encyclopedia of Life. National Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 14 November 2024.