Duration: Perennial

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Herbaceous and pubescent forb, to 0.5 m, having stiff stems, plants strigose and glandular, not silvery.

Leaves: Alternate, simple to pinnate, entire, basal or cauline, the lower ones borne on long petioles.

Flowers: White to purple, borne in mostly 1-sided raceme-like inflorescences, inflorescences densely pilose to spreading hispid, sometimes branching, corollas funnelform or campanulate, with wrinkled or folded tubes, styles 2-cleft, stamens exserted.

Fruits: Pubescent capsules 2-3 mm long, seeds boat-shaped and rough to the touch.

Ecology: Found in moist soils in coniferous forests, along streams, sagebrush, mountain brush, aspen, and spruce-fir communities, from 4,000-9,500 ft (1219-2896 m); flowering April-October.

Notes: Distinctive with its entire leaves and prominent veins, especially with the tendency toward the appearance of being trifoliolate. This species was formally listed under P. magellanica in and this species complex is thought to be historically composed of a variety of morphologically different types that have not been studied enough to formally separate. P. magellanica, P. heterophylla, and P. mutabilis are included in this complex. Currently, P. heterophylla is recognized as a formal species on its own, while P. magellanica is now P. egena. P mutabilis is also accepted as a formal species currently.

Ethnobotany: There is no specific use recorded for the species, but the genus was boiled and used for greens.

Synonyms: Phacelia magellanica fo. heterophylla, Phacelia magellanica fo. robusta, Phacelia magellanica var. heterophylla, Phacelia magellanica var. heterophylla

Editor: LCrumbacher, 2011

Etymology: Phacelia is based on the Greek phakelos, meaning "cluster," and alluding to the densely crowded flower spikes of most species of the genus, while heterophylla means that the leaves are different on the same plant.