Inflorescences : racemes robust, generally exceeding leaves. Flowers : petals crested. Capsules erect at maturity, stout, 12-20 mm. Seeds with narrow marginal ring.

Flowering early spring-late summer. Bottomlands, prairies, plains, foothills, mesas, ditches, railroad embankments, and washes, in loose, often sandy, dry soil; 300-2800 m; Ariz., Colo., Kans., Mo., Nebr., Nev., N.Mex., Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Utah, Wyo.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Sinaloa, and Sonora).

INFLORESCENCE: exceeding leaves.

FLOWERS: 14-18 mm long; spurs 5-9 mm long.

FRUITS: erect, 12-20 mm long.

SEEDS: with marginal ring.

NOTES: See also parent taxon. Loose, often sandy dry soil: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai cos.: 750-1150 m (2500-3800 ft) Apr-Jun; CO, KS, MO, NE, NM, NV, OK, SD, TX, UT, WY.

REFERENCES: Holiay, Susan, and Abril Perez. 2001. Commelinaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 33(1).