Authors: Pursh
Stems 10-40cm tall. Plants evidently lustrous hairy throughout. Leaves entire or toothed, basal to 13cm long, oblanceolate. Flowers lavender to orchid- or red-purple, of deep blue purple, 2-4cm long, widely dilated with prominent, yellow staminode. Dry open places, plains, valleys, steppes, sometimes ascending to moderate elevations in the mountains of North Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Surprisingly variable in size, flower colour. Easier to grow than steppe origins suggest. i s16 2 P.e. var. eriantherus, grows 10-30cm tall and has lilac flowers. P.e. var. argillosus has red purple flowers and the staminode is sparsely bearded. Oregon only. P.e. var. whitedii, from Washington has light blue to orchid-purple flowers, the leaves often clasping. P.e. var. redactus is typically 10-20cm tall. Intermediate in characters to other varieties. Montana, Idaho, Oregon, most common in Salmon River drainage area.
