About Hackelia micrantha (Eastw.) J.L.Gentry
Hackelia micrantha is a lush perennial herb, growing between 30 centimeters (12 inches) tall to over 1 meter (3.3 feet) tall. Many oval to lance-shaped leaves surround the base of its erect stems; the longest of these leaves measure over 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) in length. Upper stems are typically leafless, and hold cyme inflorescences of bright blue flowers. Each small flower has five rounded lobes, with a smaller petal-like appendage at the base of each lobe. This species blooms from June to August. Its fruit is a nutlet covered in pointed prickles. Hackelia micrantha is native to western North America. Its range extends from British Columbia and Alberta, southeast through Montana into Colorado and Utah, and south to the Sierra Nevada in California and Nevada. It grows at elevations between 1,200 and 3,500 meters (3,900–11,500 ft), including in the Rocky Mountains. It is native to meadow, shrubby slope, open forest, and streambank habitats.
