Mertensia ciliata

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Boraginales

Familia: Boraginaceae
Subfamilia: Cynoglossoideae
Tribus: Asperugeae
Genus: Mertensia
Species: Mertensia ciliata
Varietas: M. c. var. polyphylla – M. c. var. punctata – M. c. var. stomatechoides – M. c. var. subpubescens
Name

Mertensia ciliata (Torr.) G.Don
Synonyms

Mertensia ciliata var. ciliata
Pulmonaria ciliata James ex Torr.

References

(Torrey, J.) Don, G., A General History of the Dichlamydeous Plants... London 4:372. 1837-1838

Links

International Plant Names Index. 2017. Mertensia ciliata. Published online. Accessed: Oct. 25 2017.
The Plant List 2013. Mertensia ciliata in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published online. Accessed: 2017 Oct. 25.
Tropicos.org 2017. Mertensia ciliata. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 25 Oct. 2017.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Mertensia ciliata in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 09-Oct-10.
Mertensia ciliata – Taxon details on National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

Vernacular names
English: tall fringed bluebells, streamside bluebells

Mertensia ciliata is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common names tall fringed bluebells, mountain bluebells, and streamside bluebells.

Distribution

It is native to the western United States, in California, Nevada, Utah, and Oregon. 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]
Description

Mertensia ciliata 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. As the individual flowers progress in age they change in color from blue to pink-red.[2]

The flowers bear poricidal anthers and are fertilized via buzz-pollination by several Bombus species. Primary Nectar robbing by Bombus species, including Bombus occidentalis is common in some populations.
Uses

The flowers, young stems and leaves are edible raw;[3] older leaves (when the plant tends to be hairy) should be cooked. The plant contains alkaloids so should not be eaten in high quantities.[4]
References

Southwest Colorado Wildflowers Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
Barker, Joan. The Ultimate Guide to Wild Flowers of North America, page 249. Parragon. 2013.
Montana Plant Life
Nyerges, Christopher (2017). Foraging Washington: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods. Guilford, CT: Falcon Guides. ISBN 978-1-4930-2534-3. OCLC 965922681.