Species Identification
Interested in the identification of penstemons? Please select a species then click on submit:
| Attribute | The current selection is Penstemon_canescens |
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| Classification | Penstemon
Penstemon Penstemon Penstemon |
| General | White or Hoary Penstemon
This is a highly variable species found on both sides of the Appalachian Mts. and into the Midwest and quite similar to P. brevisepalus. Gleason and Cronquist (1991) considered it the same species, but it lacks the tiny sepals and its basal rosette is not always well developed at flowering.
Blooms: April to June |
| Anther | Widely spreading apart, moderately open. |
| Staminode | Bearded with hair 2 mm long, exserted at orifice. |
| Leaves | Basal leaves to 1.5 dm (6”) long, & 1/3-1/4 as wide, often ovate, blunt, often spoon-shaped; upper leaves to 12.5 cm (5”) long, all are toothed and thin in texture. |
| Stems | Erect stems are sinuous, herbage finely hairy. |
| Inflorescense | Nodding in bud, open panicles, cyme 2-3 cm (1”) long, 2-6 flowered. |
| Corolla | 20-25 mm (3/4-1”) long, pink, old rose, lavender to plum, pale or deep red-purple, same color outside & within with sharply defined violet guidelines within the pale throat. |
| Flower Color | |
| Calyx | 3-6 mm (1/4”) long, sepals with narrow tip. |
| Habitat | Mountain woodlands |
| Range | IN, OH, PA, to w VA and as far south as n AL
subsp canescens: leaves fuzzy, dull green, corolla pale red-purple, plant 3-8 dm (12-
32”) tall, n AL, n & e to s PA
subsp. brittonorum: leaves mostly smooth, deep green, corolla deep red-purple, plant
2-5 dm (8-20”) tall, Appalachian Mtns, s WV to ne GA.
Forma villacaulis: has soft hairs along the stem internodes.
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