Scientific Family
Polemoniaceae
Synonyms
Gilia calothrysa, G. macombii, G. pringlei
Other common names
Macomb's skyrocket
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Similar species
Ipomopsis thurberi, I. multiflora
Height
Up to 30 inches
Riparian
No
Shrubby perennials to 30 inches tall, several branches usually radiating from the base, stems leafy, short, soft, straight hairs to woolly.
Short-lived perennial to 30 inches tall; stems leafy; leaves simple or branched near the base, alternate, lower can be opposite; sepals hairy, glandular; flowers blue or purplish, tubular, 1 to 1-1/2 inches; stamens may slightly exceed flower tube.
Habitat
Found on sandy to gravelly soils in openings in coniferous forests, oak woodlands, and on rocky slopes.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Low elevation
4500
High elevation
9000
Flower Characteristics
Blue or purplish flowers, usually 1-sided near tips of short-stalked, lateral branches; elongated tube, 1/2 to 1 inch long with 5 rounded lobes;Â notched or sharply pointed at tips; sometimes with white or dark purple flecks; stamens erect.
Flower color
Blue or purplish
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
August
Last bloom month
September
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Alternate, lower leaves sometimes opposite; pinnately parted into narrow segments (dissected) with wide separation between leaflets; lower margins deeply dissected, upper smooth or few lobed; smooth to sparsely short, soft hairy or glandular surface.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Pinnatifid
Leaf margin
Dissected
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Capsules with 3 cells and 3 valves (splits into 3 parts), 1/4 inch long.
Fruit type
Capsule
Each cell contains 1 to 3 seeds.