Plants perennial, from small, tuberous, usually forked taproots with fibrous rootlets at base, sometimes with 1-several accessory buds at summit. Stems usually 1-3, erect, mostly 0.8-2 dm, often with 1-2 basal scales. Leaves 2-5, simple; blade with 2 orders of lobes; ultimate lobes elliptic. Inflorescences terminal, racemose, 3-5-flowered, flowers crowded at summit of stout peduncle; bracts inconspicuous, ovate to obovate, 4-10 × 3-5 mm, proximal bract largest. Flowers erect; pedicel stout, 4-10 mm; sepals caducous, 1-2 × 1-2 mm, margins variously dentate; petals blue, often tinged purple; spurred petal 17-20 mm, spur abruptly incurved near apex, 7-10 mm, crest low, extending to apex, marginal wing narrow, unspurred outer petal 10-12 mm, margins revolute; inner petals 8-10 mm, blade obovate, claw slender, ca. 4-5 mm; nectariferous spur clavate, 2/3-3/4 length of petal spur; style ca. 2 mm; stigma 4-lobed, rhomboid, narrower toward base. Capsules reflexed, ellipsoid to obovoid, ca. 12 × 5 mm. Seeds essentially smooth. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering early-mid summer.
Habitat: Tundra
Elevation: 0-1100 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

B.C., N.W.T., Yukon, Alaska, Asia.

Discussion

This distinctive species is the only blue-flowered member of the genus in the flora area. It is an essentially Asiatic species whose distribution extends across the Bering Strait into North America.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.