Penstemon procerus

Slender Beardtongue

Flower Front Showing Staminode

Centre Block, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
22-June-2008

The corolla terminates in a three-lobed lower lip and a two-lobed upper lip.  There are four fertile stamens, one infertile stamen (staminode), and one style which is not visible in this photo.  The staminode is bearded on the distal end with yellow hairs.

Note the key to the species in Budd's Flora requires stems erect or nearly so; NOT [plants decumbent to ascending].  In fact, the stems of this species can be erect, ascending, or decumbent. The rest of the answers to the key questions appear below.

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Procerus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 
bulletplants herbaceous; NOT [plants shrubby, stems woody]
bulletflowers in dense terminal spikes or nodal clusters; NOT [flowers not so crowded]
bulletflowers 8-12 mm long; NOT [flowers 15-40 mm long] (BF)
bulletflowers about 1 cm long; NOT [flowers more than 1 cm long, usually at least 1.5 cm] (FOA)
bulletflowers dark bluish purple; NOT [flowers white to yellowish]

 

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Penstemon: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA)  leading to this genus.
bulletleaves NOT all basal
bulletcauline leaves opposite; NOT [cauline leaves alternate]
bulletcalyx 5-lobed; NOT [calyx 4-lobed]
bulletcorolla NOT spurred at the base
bulletfour anther-bearing stamens and 1 long sterile stamen (staminode)

 

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Scrophulariaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.
bulletherbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]
bulletplants green or with some chlorophyll; NOT [plants parasitic or saprophytic, without chlorophyll]
bulletplants NOT aquatic
bulletstems NOT square
bulletleaves NOT bearing bladders
bulletflowers with two floral rings, but with the petals wholly or partly united forming a tube or bell
bulletflowers brightly colored; NOT [flowers inconspicuous]
bulletcorolla irregular; NOT [corolla regular]
bulletovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]
bulletfruit a many-seeded capsule; NOT [fruit with 4 nutlets]