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The photo at right shows a close-up frontal view of the corolla of sulphur penstemon. Note the numerous glands on the front of each corolla lobe as well as the open, oval-shaped anther sacs extending out of the mouth of the flower.
Penstemon attenuatus is a variable, wide-spread perennial found across much of the Pacific Northwest. This variety appears in both blue and yellow or yellowish-white-flowered forms. Plants are often tufted, from 30 to 90 cm tall and and somewhat glandular above to glabrous below, or occasionaly somewhat pubescent. The leaves are found both at the base and on the stems. The basal leaflets appear in a rosette, and consist of lanceolate to ovate leaves with short petioles. The margins are typically entire, but may also be finely toothed in this variety. The basal leaves may be either glabrous to finely pubescent, and are up to 17 cm long and 4 cm wide. The stem leaves are reduced in size, opposite, and bright green. These are usually sessile or without petioles, and some-what lanceolate in shape.
The inflorescence is glandular-hairy, and consists of several (3 to 7) loose to crowded verticillasters, each of which consists of several to many flowers. The calyx is 4 to 7 mm long, with entire, accuminate sepals. In this variety, the corollas are mostly 14 to 20 mm in length, and the corollas are distinctly flared outward at the mouth. The palate is bearded, as is the distal expanded tip of the staminode. The staminode reaches the opening of the tube. The flowers of this variety as mentioned above are both blue as well as yellow and yellow-white. The exterior surface of the corolla is glandular hairy. The anthers are glabrous or lightly pubescent, with the sacs dehiscing their full length, and upon opening, spreading opposite and boat-shaped.
Variety attenuatus: The corolla generally measures greater than 12 mm long. Found in wet meadows, ponderosa pine woods, and on open slopes.
Variety palustris: The corolla measures 7-12 mm long. Found in wet meadows.
Sulpur Penstemon is found in dry to moist meadows or on open or wooded slopes in the foothills to moderate elevation in the mountains.
Penstemon attenuatus var. attenuatus is found from central Washington, from the Yakima River in the west and south of the Spokane River to east of the John Day River in Oregon, eastward across northern Idaho to western Montana (west of the continental divide).
Penstemon attenuatus var. palustris is found in the southern Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. It is found in southern Morrow County, as well as Grant and Baker counties.
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