Leaves 10-17 mm wide, glaucous adaxially. Flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic; tepals connivent over capsules after anthesis, usually forced apart again by capsule growth, bright blue to deep bluish violet, each 3- or occasionally 5-veined, 15-20 × 3-5 mm; anthers bright yellow, 4-5 mm; fruiting pedicel incurving-erect, 5-15 mm. Capsules 7-16 mm. Seeds 5-10 per locule.

Flowering mid--late spring. Wet meadows; 700--2500 m; Calif., Nev., Oreg., Wash.