Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest from Chelan and Douglas counties south along the Columbia River to Klickitat County; central Washington to north-central Oregon, also from southeastern Oregon to northern Nevada, east to southwestern Idaho.

Habitat: Dry, open, sandy places at low elevations.

Flowers: April-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, wasps, hummingbirds

Herbaceous, glabrous perennial from a short, branched woody base, with several stout stems 1.5-6 dm. tall, the herbage glaucous.

Leaves opposite, thick and firm, the basal leaves tufted, oblanceolate, up to 15 cm. long and 2 cm. wide; cauline leaves sessile and clasping, progressively shorter and broader upward.

Inflorescence of rather dense verticillasters, the bracts subtending the lower verticillasters broad and leafy, the upper ones reduced; calyx deeply 5-parted, the segments lanceolate, entire; corolla bright blue, tubular, 14-21 mm. long, the tube expanded toward the end; pollen sacs glabrous, dehiscent throughout and becoming opposite, 0.8-1.2 mm. long; staminode (sterile stamen) usually yellow-bearded for about 1 mm. toward the tip.

Capsule 7-12 mm. long, excluding the slender beak, which is up to 5 mm. long.