Mertensia ciliata

Mertensia ciliata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	(unplaced)
Family:	Boraginaceae
Genus:	Mertensia
Species:	M. ciliata
Binomial name
Mertensia ciliata (James ex Torr.) G.Don

Mertensia ciliata is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common names tall fringed bluebells and streamside bluebells. It is native to the western United States, where it often grows in moist habitat, such as subalpine meadows and creeksides. It often carpets large areas of meadow and hillside with blue-green foliage and sweet-scented bluebell blooms.^[1] It is a perennial herb producing a cluster of erect stems from a thick, branching caudex. The leafy stems reach well over a meter in maximum height. The veiny leaves are oval to lance-shaped and pointed. The inflorescence is an open array of many clustered blue bell-shaped flowers each between 1 and 2 centimeters long. The hanging, fragrant flower is tubular, expanding into a wider, lobed mouth. The flowers and leaves are edible.^[2]

References

1. ^ Southwest Colorado Wildflowers
2. ^ Montana Plant Life

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment
• USDA Plants Profile
• CalPhotos