Gracilis: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 

	plants herbaceous; NOT [plants shrubby, stems woody]
	stems erect or nearly so; NOT [stems decumbent to ascending]
	foliage NOT glaucous
	plants generally glandular-pubescent in the inflorescence, not glaucous; NOT [plants glabrous, glaucous]
	lower bracts lanceolate; NOT [lower bracts broadly ovate to suborbicular]
	flowers NOT so crowded; NOT [flowers in dense terminal spikes or nodal clusters]
	corolla mostly 1.5-2.5 cm long; NOT [flowers about 1 cm long], NOT [flowers 8-12 mm long], NOT [corolla 1.2-1.5 cm long], NOT [flowers mostly 3-4 cm long]
	corolla NOT much expanded towards the tip; NOT [corolla broadly funnelform]
	flowers pale lilac; NOT [flowers bluish purple], NOT [flowers blue], NOT [flowers white, finely purplish lined or spotted], NOT [corolla white]
	style included; NOT exserted
	style NOT long-pilose
	style NOT yellowish

Penstemon: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this genus. 

	leaves NOT all basal
	cauline leaves opposite; NOT alternate
	calyx 5-lobed; NOT 4-lobed
	corolla NOT spurred at base
	sterile stamen (staminode) present, filamentous; NOT [staminode absent or scale-like]
	four anther-bearing stamens and one long sterile stamen; NOT [two or four anther-bearing stamens and no sterile stamen], NOT [five anther-bearing stamens]