Penstemon procerus

Penstemon procerus
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Plantaginaceae
Genus:	Penstemon
Species:	P. procerus
Binomial name
Penstemon procerus Dougl. ex Graham

Penstemon procerus is a species of penstemon known by the common name littleflower penstemon. It is native to western North America from Alaska to California to Colorado, as far east in Canada as Manitoba, where it grows in mountain habitat such as meadows, often in alpine climates. This herbaceous perennial forms mats of herbage with some erect stems reaching about 40 centimeters in maximum height. There are several varieties which vary in morphology, some more decumbent than others, some of which are known commonly as pincushion penstemons for their matted forms. In general, the leaves are lance-shaped to oval, plentiful around the base of the plant with smaller ones arranged in opposite pairs along the stem. The inflorescence is made up of one or more clusters of tubular flowers with lipped, lobed mouths. Each flower is no more than one centimeter in length and is purple to blue in color, often with a white throat. The outside of the flower is generally hairless, while the inside may be lined with white or yellowish hairs.

Description

Littleflower penstemons have a wide range of heights when mature, typically 3 to 40 centimeters (1–16 in), but occasionally as tall as 70 cm (28 in). Its stems can be hairless or be more or less covered in backwards pointing stiff hairs, but are never glaucous. ^[1] The flowering stems can either grow straight upwards or lean outwards from the base of the plant before growing upwards, ^[1] occasionally they may grow along the ground. ^[2] The non-flowering stems are often numerous enough for form a mat at the base of the plant. ^[2]

Plants can have both basal leaves, springing directly from the base of the plant, and leaves attached to the stems, but in some plants the basal leaves are not well developed. They might have a somewhat leathery texture and can have rough backwards pointing hairs, be simply hairy, or hairless. Basal leaves and the ones lowest on the stems range fro 0.9 to 9 cm long, only occasionally reaching 11.5 cm. ^[1]

Taxonomy

Penstemon procerus was given its scientific name in 1829 by Robert Graham, crediting the work of David Douglas. It is part of the genus Penstemon which is classified in the family Plantaginaceae. It has six accepted varieties. ^[3]

• Penstemon procerus var. aberrans
  Native to Utah. ^[4]
• Penstemon procerus var. brachyanthus
  Native to Oregon and northwestern California. ^[5]
• Penstemon procerus var. formosus
  Native to Oregon, California, and western Nevada. ^[6]
• Penstemon procerus var. modestus
  Native to Nevada. ^[7]
• Penstemon procerus var. procerus
  Widespread from Alaska to Colorado. ^[8]
• Penstemon procerus var. tolmiei
  Native to eastern central British Columbia and eastern Washington. ^[9]

Penstemon procerushas 29 synonyms of the species or one of its subspecies. ^[10]

Table of Synonyms

Name	Year	Rank	Synonym of:	Notes
Lepteiris parvifloraRaf.	1837	species	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon brachyanthusPennell	1941	species	var. brachyanthus	≡ hom.
Penstemon cacuminisPennell	1941	species	var. formosus	≡ hom.
Penstemon confertus var. aberransM.E.Jones	1895	variety	var. aberrans	≡ hom.
Penstemon confertus var. modestus(Greene) Jeps.	1925	variety	var. modestus	≡ hom.
Penstemon confertus var. procerus(Douglas ex Graham) Coville	1893	variety	P. procerus	≡ hom.
Penstemon formosusA.Nelson	1904	species	var. formosus	≡ hom., nom. illeg.
Penstemon micranthusNutt.	1834	species	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon modestusGreene	1906	species	var. modestus	≡ hom.
Penstemon pononiiT.Moore & Mast.	1872	species	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon procerus subsp. aberrans(M.E.Jones) D.D.Keck	1945	subspecies	var. aberrans	≡ hom.
Penstemon procerus f. albescensB.Boivin	1966	form	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon procerus subsp. brachyanthus(Pennell) D.D.Keck	1957	subspecies	var. brachyanthus	≡ hom.
Penstemon procerus var. fimbriatusRegel	1872	variety	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon procerus subsp. formosus(D.D.Keck) D.D.Keck	1957	subspecies	var. formosus	≡ hom.
Penstemon procerus f. jenkinsiiB.Boivin	1960	form	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon procerus var. micrantus(Nutt.) M.E.Jones	1910	variety	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon procerus subsp. modestus(Greene) D.D.Keck	1957	subspecies	var. modestus	≡ hom.
Penstemon procerus subsp. pulvereusPennell	1920	subspecies	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon procerus subsp. tolmiei(Hook.) D.D.Keck	1957	subspecies	var. tolmiei	≡ hom.
Penstemon procerus subsp. typicusD.D.Keck	1945	subspecies	P. procerus	≡ hom., not validly publ.
Penstemon pulchellusGreene	1898	species	var. formosus	≡ hom., nom. illeg.
Penstemon spicatusT.Moore & Mast.	1872	species	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon tinctusPennell	1941	species	var. procerus	= het.
Penstemon tolmieiHook.	1838	species	var. tolmiei	≡ hom.
Penstemon tolmiei subsp. brachyanthus(Pennell) D.D.Keck	1945	subspecies	var. brachyanthus	≡ hom.
Penstemon tolmiei subsp. formosusD.D.Keck	1945	subspecies	var. formosus	≡ hom.
Penstemon tolmiei subsp. modestus(Greene) D.D.Keck	1945	subspecies	var. modestus	≡ hom.
Penstemon tolmiei subsp. typicusD.D.Keck	1945	subspecies	var. tolmiei	≡ hom., not validly publ.
Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym

Names

The specific epithet, procerus, is Botanical Latin meaning "tall", ^[11] however the alpine forms of the species are quite short. ^[12] It is frequently called by the common names littleflower penstemon or little flower penstemon. ^{[13] [14]} It is similarly known as the small-flowered penstemon, ^[15] small-flowered beardtongue, ^[16] and little blue penstemon. ^[11] It is also known as tall penstemon, ^[17] pincushion penstemon, ^[18] and slender blue penstemon. ^[19]

Cultivation

In cultivation in the UK the cultivar 'Roy Davidson' has won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. ^[20] It copes with a range of situations, but requires a well-drained medium in full or partial sun.

References

Citations

1. Freeman 2020.
2. Cronquist et al. 1984, p. 393.
3. POWO 2026a.
4. POWO 2026b.
5. POWO 2026c.
6. POWO 2026d.
7. POWO 2026e.
8. POWO 2026f.
9. POWO 2026g.
10. POWO 2025a sfnm error: no target: CITEREFPOWO2025a (help); POWO 2025b sfnm error: no target: CITEREFPOWO2025b (help); POWO 2025c sfnm error: no target: CITEREFPOWO2025c (help); POWO 2025d sfnm error: no target: CITEREFPOWO2025d (help); POWO 2025e sfnm error: no target: CITEREFPOWO2025e (help); POWO 2025f sfnm error: no target: CITEREFPOWO2025f (help); POWO 2025g sfnm error: no target: CITEREFPOWO2025g (help).
11. Ferguson & Saunders 1996, p. 109.
12. Duft & Moseley 1989, p. 92.
13. Lindgren & Wilde 2003, p. 74.
14. Lyons 1977, p. 173.
15. Trelawny 1983, p. 147.
16. Jennings 2011, p. 84.
17. Blackwell 2000, p. 135.
18. Niehaus 1976, p. 336.
19. Sept 2002, p. 68.
20. "Penstemon procerus 'Roy Davidson'". www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 24 January 2021.

Sources

Books

• Blackwell, Laird R. (2000). Wildflowers of Mount Rainer . Edmonton, Alberta: Lone Pine Publishing. ISBN   978-1-55105-230-4. OCLC   43282920 . Retrieved 15 January 2026.
• Duft, Joseph F.; Moseley, Robert K. (1989). Alpine Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains . Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press. ISBN   978-0-87842-238-8. OCLC   19325552 . Retrieved 15 January 2026.
• Cronquist, Arthur; Holmgren, Arthur H.; Holmgren, Noel H.; Reveal, James L.; Holmgren, Patricia K. (1984). Intermountain Flora : Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. . Vol. Four. Subclass Asteridae (except Asteraceae). New York: Published for the New York Botanical Garden by Hafner Pub. Co. ISBN   978-0-89327-248-7. OCLC   320442 . Retrieved 30 January 2026.
• Ferguson, Mary; Saunders, Richard M. (1996) [First ed. 1982]. Wildflowers Through the Seasons (Firefly ed.). Willowdale, Ontario: Firefly Books. ISBN   978-1-55209-025-1. OCLC   35209664 . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• Jennings, Neil L. (2011). Central Beauty: Wildflowers and Flowering Shrubs of the Southern Interior of British Columbia . Surrey, British Columbia: Rocky Mountain Books. ISBN   978-1-926855-44-8. OCLC   1043650035 . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• Lindgren, Dale Tennis; Wilde, Ellen; American Penstemon Society (2003). Growing Penstemons : Species, Cultivars, and Hybrids (First ed.). Haverford, Pennsylvania: Infinity Publishing. ISBN   978-0-7414-1529-5. LCCN   2004272722. OCLC   54110971 . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• Lyons, C. P. (1977). Trees, shrubs and flowers to know in Washington (Second Paperback ed.). Toronto, Canada: J.M. Dent & Sons. ISBN   978-0-460-95303-0. OCLC   48635689 . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• Niehaus, Theodore F. (1976). A field guide to Pacific States wildflowers: field marks of species found in Washington, Oregon, California, and adjacent areas: a visual approach arranged by color, form, and detail . Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN   978-0-395-21624-8. OCLC   2119340 . Retrieved 15 January 2026.
• Sept, J. Duane (2002). Common Wildflowers of Washington & Oregon . Sechelt, British Columbia: Calypso Publishing. ISBN   978-0-9730390-1-6. OCLC   49649317 . Retrieved 15 January 2026.
• Trelawny, John G. S. (1983). Wildflowers of the Yukon and Northwestern Canada, Including Adjacent Alaska . Victoria, British Columbia: Sono Nis Press. ISBN   978-0-88826-097-0. OCLC   5036602 . Retrieved 15 January 2026.

Web sources

• Freeman, Craig C. (2020) [In print 2019]. "Penstemon procerus". Flora of North America . p. 216. ISBN   978-0-19-086851-2. OCLC   1101573420. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
• POWO (2026a). "Penstemon procerus Douglas ex Graham". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• POWO (2026b). "Penstemon procerus var. aberrans (M.E.Jones) A.Nelson". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• POWO (2026c). "Penstemon procerus var. brachyanthus (Pennell) Cronquist". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• POWO (2026d). "Penstemon procerus var. formosus (D.D.Keck) Cronquist". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• POWO (2026e). "Penstemon procerus var. modestus (Greene) N.H.Holmgren". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• POWO (2026f). "Penstemon procerus var. procerus". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 14 January 2026.
• POWO (2026g). "Penstemon procerus var. tolmiei (Hook.) Cronquist". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 14 January 2026.

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment
• Photo gallery