Tube penstemon

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Tube penstemon flowers

Tube penstemon

Tube penstemon

Tube penstemon

Tube penstemon

Tube penstemon inflorescence

Tube penstemon

Tube penstemon

Tube penstemon flowers

Tube penstemon inflorescence

Tube penstemon leaves

Tube penstemon inflorescence

Morphology

Stem

Mostly erect, 1-4, unbranched, glabrous.

Leaves

Opposite, simple, stalked below, sessile and clasping above, obovate to spatulate below, lanceolate above, 1 to 5.5 inches long, .5 to 1.5 inches wide, glabrous; margins entire to slightly toothed; tips rounded or pointed; uppermost leaves distantly separated from inflorescence.

Inflorescence

Panicles, elongate, 3 to 16 inches long, with 4-12 distinct, whorl-like clusters of 3-9 flowers.

Flower

Calyces 5-lobed, lance-ovate, glandular-hairy; corollas trumpet-shaped, .5 to 1 inch long, bright white, slightly 2-lipped, upper lip 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed, sticky glandular-hairy internally and externally; throat guidelines absent; stamens 5, 4 fertile, 1 sterile with short yellow hairs.

Fruit

Capsules, egg-shaped, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, woody; seeds numerous, tiny, brown.

Ecology

Habitat

Moist or dry prairies, open woodlands, roadsides, and disturbed areas, on loam or sandy loam soils.

Distribution

East 2/3 of Kansas.

Additional Notes