A number of species of Mertensia are abundant throughout the blooming season in the Four Corners.  At lower elevations, Mertensia appear in April; in the San Juans and nearby mountain ranges, Mertensia appear as short plants in open meadows and woods in the spring, tall plants along streams at higher elevations in the summer, and dwarf plants above timberline.  On any plant, flower color of the dainty, drooping bells often varies from purples and blues to very light pinks depending on how long the flowers have been open.

     The most prominent display of Mertensia is along mountain streams where some species of Mertensia form large, dense colonies with thousands of sweetly scented flowers.

     The genus was named by Albrecht Roth in the early 1800s for F. K. Mertens a German botanist of the late 1700s and early 1800s.  (More biographical information.)

More Mertensia

Foothills, montane.  Woodlands, meadows, openings.  Spring, summer.
Cross Mountain Trail, June 12, 2006.
Mesa Verde National Park, May 9, 2007.

Mertensia brevistyla and Mertensia lanceolata (pictured below) are very similar in shape, color, and habitat.  Both grow from 4-16 inches tall and both tend to grow singly and scattered.  The most obvious characteristic that separates them is the hairiness of the upper leaf surface.  The third picture below shows the numerous, short, flattened hairs (pointing away from the prominent mid-vein of the leaf) of M. brevistyla; M. lanceolata may be smooth or with few to many fine hairs not flattened away from the mid-vein.

"Brevistyla" refers to the style which is shorter than the calyx lobes. 

Foothills, montane.  Woodlands, meadows, openings.  Spring, summer.
Cross Mountain Trail, June 12, 2006.

The plant was named by Sereno Watson in 1871.

Foothills, montane.  Woodlands, meadows, openings.  Spring, summer.
Cross Mountain Trail, June 12, 2006.

Numerous, short, flattened hairs (pointing away from the prominent mid-vein of the leaf) are key identifying characteristics of M. brevistyla.

Foothills to alpine.  Woodlands, meadows, openings.  Spring, summer.
Ryman Creek Trail, June 16, 2005.

Mertensia lanceolata is, in William Weber's words, "a quite variable and complex species separable into alpine and lowland, pubescent and glabrous, broad- and narrow-leaved races, all evidently merging and recombining in puzzling ways."  It is typically 8-14 inches tall and  is common in a variety of soils along forest fringes and in open meadows of the Four Corners from low canyons to alpine.  It grows singly or in small bouquets, such as this one, in contrast to the massive displays of M. franciscana and M. ciliata in the higher mountains.  It is quite similar to M. brevistyla.

"Lanceolata" refers to the leaf shape. Frederic Pursh named this plant Pulmonaria lanceolata in 1814 and Augustin de Candolle renamed it Mertensia lanceolata in 1846.

Foothills to alpine.  Woodlands, meadows, openings.  Spring, summer.
Ryman Creek Trail, June 16, 2005.

Foothills to alpine.  Woodlands, meadows, openings.  Spring, summer.
Cinnamon Pass, July 26, 2007.

Mertensia  lanceolata alpine flowers often have more intensely blue hues and it is not uncommon to find small clumps of plants rather than individuals.