Herbs, erect to ascending, rarely rooting at nodes. Roots sometimes tuberous. Stems sparsely branched, 8--39 cm, scabridulous or rarely glabrescent. Leaves: blade linear-lanceolate, 1--10 ´ 0.15--0.8 cm (distal leaf blades wider or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), firmly membranaceous, glaucous, glabrous. Inflorescences terminal, solitary, or frequently with 1--3 axillary inflorescences from distal nodes; bracts foliaceous. Flowers distinctly pedicillate; pedicels 0.8--1 cm, glandular-puberulent; sepals frequently suffused with red, glaucous, 4--6 mm, glandular-puberulent; petals distinct, bright blue to rose and purple, not clawed, 9--12 mm; stamens free; filaments bearded. Capsules 3--4 mm. Seeds 1.5--2 mm; hilum much shorter than seed. Flowering summer--fall (Jul--Sep). Moist canyons and stream banks; 1700--3000 m; Ariz., N.Mex.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Sonora).

Plant: perennial herb; scabridulous to scattered pubescent, the trichomes short, appressed; roots fibrous with occasional tubers; stems erect to ascending, sparsely branched, 10-40 cm. Leaves: linear-lanceolate, 1.5-13 cm long, 0.2-0.8 cm wide, the sheath membranaceous, glabrous INFLORESCENCE: terminal, solitary or frequently with 1-3 axillary inflorescences from upper nodes; bracts foliose, 2-6 cm long Flowers: pedicels 0.5-1.3 cm long, glandular-puberulent; sepals frequently suffused with red, glaucous, 0.4-0.6 mm long, glandular-puberulous; petals bright blue to rose and purple, 0.9-1.2 cm long Fruit: FRUITS 3-4 mm long, 3-valved, 3-locular; SEEDS 1.5-2 mm long, with hilum oblong to linear Misc: Grasslands, chaparral and grassy meadows in ponderosa pine forest, on granitic to limestone substrate; mesas and rocky hillsides; 1500-2750 m (5000-9000 ft); Aug-Nov REFERENCES: Puente, Raul, and Robert B. Faden. 2001. Commelinaceae. J. Ariz. – Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 33(1).