The photo above shows rough bluebell as seen in the Devils Garden on the northeastern slopes of Mt. Adams........July 2005. The remaining photos on the page were photographed on Little Mount Adams on the eastern flanks of Mt. Adams.........September 8, 2001 and July 2006.
Characteristics:
Rough bluebell is a perennial wildflower with one to several stems arising up to 10 cm high from a taproot. The leaves and stems are covered with many short, spreading hairs which may give plants a grayish cast. The basal leaves are oblanceolate in shape and measure from 0.5-4 cm long while the stem leaves are narrower and becoming reduced in length up the stem.
One flower is typically found atop the stem, although as many as 2-5 may be found. Each of the 5 calyx lobes are 2-6 mm long with the tip of each lobe about as long as the corolla tube. The bluish to bluish-purple corolla is 6-12 mm long with the 5 corolla lobes each about as long as or slightly longer than the tube. The corolla lobes are spreading. The style is about as long as the corolla and tipped with 3 short stigmas. The anthers are 3.5-5 mm long.
Rough bluebell may be found on talus or cinder slopes or other rocky areas at high elevations in the mountains.
Rough bluebell may be found from the Cascade Mts. of central Washington south to Mt. Scott in California. It is also found eastward in the Wallowa Mts. of northeastern Oregon and also is found in central Idaho and western Montana.
The photo above shows the 3-lobed stigma of rough bluebell.
