Description
Large Flowered Beardtongue is a stout perennial herb with 1-2 erect stems that are 5-10 dm tall and arising from a taproot surmounted by a woody, usually unbranched crown. The spoon- to egg-shaped basal leaves are 3-16 cm long and have petioles and entire margins. The opposite, clasping stem leaves are shorter and broadly oblong. Foliage is glabrous, thickish, and covered with a thin, bluish wax. The inflorescence consists of 3-7 clusters of 2-4 short-stalked flowers in the axils of the reduced upper leaves. The tubular corolla is flared and 2-lipped at the mouth, 35-48 mm long, and pink to lavender or pale blue. The 5 broadly lance-shaped calyx segments are 7-11 mm long and usually green throughout. The 4 anthers are glabrous.
Diagnostic Characteristics
There are many species of PENSTEMON in our area; however, the combination of exceptionally large flowers and glabrous inflorescence and anthers distinguish this species from others. A hand lens may be required for identification.
Habitat
Sandy to loamy prairies, open grassy areas. In Missouri it grows on prairie bluffs and loess hills in open grassy places (Steyermark, 1963).