Description
Globe Beardtongue is a glabrous, herbaceous perennial with tufted stems that are 2-6 dm tall and arising from a shallow, branched, woody rootcrown. The narrowly elliptic, basal leaves are up to 15 cm long and have petioles and entire margins. The opposite stem leaves are shorter, more elliptic, and lack petioles. The inflorescence consists of 1-3 dense clusters of short-stalked flowers surrounding the upper portion of the stem at intervals of 1-5 cm. The blue, tubular corolla is 15-20 mm long and is flared and 2-lipped at the mouth. The 5 lance-shaped sepals are 5-8 mm long and usually have broad, white, wavy margins. The anthers are glabrous, and the 2 sacs do not open entirely at their spreading tips.
Diagnostic Characteristics
There are many species of PENSTEMON in our area; a technical manual should be consulted. The combination of crowded bluish flowers, glabrous inflorescence, and anthers and anther sacs that remain closed at the tips help distinguish this species from others in the area. P. PROCERUS has smaller flowers, and P. RYDBERGII has anther sacs that open fully. A hand lens may be required for identification.