Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.

Habitat: Vernally moist, open areas; common in shrub-steppe

Flowers: March-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, butterflies

Annual herbs, the stem usually simple, 1-6 dm. tall, finely glandular in the inflorescence, otherwise glabrous.

Leaves opposite, distant, entire, 1-4.5 cm. long and 3-18 mm. wide, the lowermost ones obovate and short-petiolate, the others oblong to elliptic and sessile.

Inflorescence spike-like, appearing cylindrical; calyx obsolete; corolla equally 5-lobed, white or pinkish, 2-6 mm. long, with a thick, short spur; stamens 3; ovary inferior, apparently 1-celled, since two of the 3 cells are sterile.

Fruit a dry carpel, 2-4 mm. long, the convex side grooved, with or without lateral wings.