Forestiera neomexicana is relatively constant in diagnostic features of vestiture and leaf shape across most of its range in the southwestern USA, from California to New Mexico and into western Texas. Apparent intermediacy in leaf shape and vestiture with F. pubescens, however, as well as glabrous forms of F. pubescens, have complicated identification. The two taxa are treated here as the eastern F. pubescens var. pubescens and the western F. pubescens var. parviflora. The ranges of the two taxa are mapped and variant forms are shown in Texas. Synonymy and typification are provided.