Collinsia parviflora

Collinsia parviflora, small-flowered blue-eyed Mary (maiden blue eyed Mary)
                         

Collinsia parviflora

Plantaginaceae Family, plantain family, Penstemon Tribe (tribe Cheloneae: Plantaginaceae) (Mare's-tail family)
(Previously in Scrophulariaceae)
         

Collinsia parviflora

Annual herb with tap root, stems erect pinkish red, 25 cm, 12 inches tall, minutely hairy, lower leaves egg-spoon shaped, upper leaves opposite, oblong linear lanceolate about 1 inch long.
       

Collinsia parviflora

The flowers are penstemon like, opening to a terminal spike like raceme cluster, two upper lobes are white, with 3 lower lobes bright blue to purple.
       

Collinsia parviflora

    Collinsia parviflora has a wide range throughout North America through Cascadia south to Arizona and New Mexico. Like many penstemon tribe it has a soothing demulcent, cooling quality to skin and mucous membranes. Here it was growing at 3500 ft in flower in full sun, in a wet boggy meadow Stevens county, Washington.
     

Collinsia parviflora