Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in coastal areas in Washington; Alaska to Oregon

Habitat: Coastal moist, sandy or grassy areas, interdunal depressions, edges of streams and lakes

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies

Perennial herbs, somewhat clump-forming, turning darker olive green when dry, to 42 cm, not glaucous, inconspicuously rhizomatous; stems unbranched, distinctly 2-winged, 2.2-3.5 mm wide, glabrous, margins denticulate.

Leaves 2-6, glabrous; blade plane, sword-shaped with sharp edges and pointed apex, typically glabrous, bases not persistent forming fibrous tufts.

Inflorescences fan-shaped, terminal, borne singly, 1-11 flowered; spathes 2, green, glabrous, keels entire or toothed; outer spathe 36-58 mm, slightly gradually becoming more narrow towards apex, margins connate basally 4.5-7 mm; inner spathe with keel evenly curved, margins translucent and 0.2-0.5 mm broad, apex acute, ending 0.2-2 mm proximal to green apex; tepals pale blue to somewhat darker bluish violet, with yellow bases, spreading to reflexed; outer tepals 11-16 mm, apex rounded to truncate, bristle-tipped; filaments connate, tapering to apex, with basal stalked glands; anthers encircling but not appressed to style branches; styles 3, erect, connate basally at minimum, threadlike, extending outward through stamens typically past anthers; ovary color similar to foliage.

Capsules generally globose, beige to darker brown, 6.2-8.1 mm; seeds globose to obconic, distinct depression absent, black-coated, finely wrinkled, 1.2-1.7 mm.