Mounds of willowy leaves and wiry stems topped by star-shaped, bluish-white flowers from a woody root stock. Closely resembles root systems, stems and leaves of A. eastwoodiana (Eastwood's Bluestar) and A. peeblesii (Peebles' bluestar).
Several erect or ascending stems from woody root stock; milky sap; leaves alternate, hairy or hairless, narrow, dark green; flower lobes 1/8 to 1/4 inch long and less than half as long as tube; fruit a pair of elongated, round in cross section capsules.
Habitat
Found mostly along watercourses within riparian forests, desert grasslands, mesquite scrublands and pinyon juniper woodlands.
Flower Characteristics
Flower head in clusters at top of plant; flowers tubular with spreading star-like openings; 5 slightly twisted outer lobes, 1/6 to 1/2 inch long; flower tube 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, broadest below the apex; spreading lobes 1/8 to 1/4 inch long.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Alternate, growing on stem, lance-like to elongated; lower leaves 1 to 3-1/2 inches long, 1/4 to 3/4 inch wide; upper leaves smaller, 1 to 2-3/4 inches long, 1/16 to 1/2 inch wide; smooth to hairy with prominent mid-vein.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Pair of elongated, circular in cross section capsules, 3/4 to 5 inches long, dry, many-seeded fruits opening along 1 side.
Cylindrical, corky, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, to 1/8 inch broad.