| Family | BORAGINACEAE |
| Genus species | Mertensia oblongifolia (Nutt.) G.Don |
| Bibliography | Gen. Hist. 4: 372 (1837) |
| Native Range | w. & c. USA |
| Primary Biome | Subalpine |
| Habitat | grassland |
| Altitude | 1000-2700m |
| Description | basal leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, 2-5cm, petiolate, stem leaves similar, apically sessile, flowers in lax head, corolla 1-2cm long |
| Size | 10-40cm |
| Color | blue |
| Bloom | spring |
| Ca | |
| Type | perennial |
| Cultivation | humous, moist, but in winter drier, semi-shady site alpine house, moist, humous soil, shading in summer |
| Propagation | seed in winter, germ. 1-3 months, 13-16°C division in spring; cuttings in late summer |
| Synonyms | Cerinthoides oblongifolium (Nutt.) Kuntze Lithospermum marginatum Lehm. Mertensia amoena A.Nelson Mertensia amplifolia Wooton & Standl. Mertensia cooperii M.Peck Mertensia eplicata J.F.Macbr. Mertensia foliosa A.Nelson Mertensia foliosa var. amoena (A.Nelson) I.M.Johnst. Mertensia foliosa f. macbridei I.M.Johnst. Mertensia foliosa var. pubescens J.F.Macbr. Mertensia foliosa var. subcalva (Piper) J.F.Macbr. Mertensia intermedia Rydb. Mertensia lanceolata var. myosotifolia (A.Heller) J.F.Macbr. Mertensia lanceolata var. nivalis (S.Watson) L.C.Higgins Mertensia myosotifolia A.Heller Mertensia nelsonii J.F.Macbr. Mertensia nutans Howell Mertensia nutans ssp. subcalva Piper Mertensia oblongifolia var. amoena (A.Nelson) L.O.Williams Mertensia oblongifolia var. nimbata J.F.Macbr. Mertensia paniculata var. nivalis S.Watson Mertensia pubescens Piper Mertensia refracta A.Nelson Mertensia stenoloba Greene Mertensia toyabensis J.F.Macbr. Mertensia tubiflora Rydb. Pulmonaria oblongifolia Nutt. |
| Territory | 7 Northern America 73 Northwestern U.S.A. (COL Colorado, IDA Idaho, MNT Montana, ORE Oregon, WAS Washington, WYO Wyoming) 74 North-Central U.S.A. (NDA North Dakota, SDA South Dakota) 76 Southwestern U.S.A. (CAL California, NEV Nevada, UTA Utah) 77 South-Central U.S.A. (NWM New Mexico) |