Collinsia parviflora
Collinsia linearis
blue-eyed Mary, collinsia, few flower blue eyed Mary, maiden blue eyed Mary, small-flower blue-eyed-Mary, small-flower collinsia
narrow-leaf blue eyed Mary, narrow-leaf collinsia
erect to ascending.
erect to ascending.
blades ± linear-lanceolate, obovate, or narrowly elliptic, margins subentire.
blades linear to narrowly oblanceolate, length usually 6+ times width, margins entire, subentire, or ± dentate.
glabrous or sparsely and finely glandular;
proximal nodes 1-flowered, distals 3–5(–7)-flowered;
flowers not crowded proximally, sometimes crowded distally;
distalmost bracts linear, 5–6 mm.
finely scaly and spreading-glandular;
nodes 1–3(–5)-flowered;
flowers not crowded;
distalmost bracts linear, 2–5 mm.
ascending to reflexed, longer than calyx, visible.
ascending, longer than calyx, visible.
calyx lobes ± deltate, equal to capsule, apex sharply acute to acuminate;
corolla blue, banner whitish or blue-tipped, 4–8 mm, glabrous;
banner length 0.8–1 times wings, lobe base without folds;
banner lobes and wings blue, sometimes purplish, oblong, 1(–3) mm wide;
throat barely angled to tube, tube and throat white, narrowed to lips, pouch angular, ± hidden by calyx;
stamens: filaments glabrous, basal spur 0.
calyx lobes lanceolate to ovate, equal to capsule, apex subacute to slightly rounded;
corolla white to blue-purple, 8–12(–15) mm, length 2+ times calyx, glandular;
banner length 0.8–1 times wings, base with folds bulging 0.5 mm away from throat opening, reflexed portion length 1.5–2 times throat;
throat strongly angled to tube, as wide as long, pouch ± square, prominent;
stamens: abaxial filaments glabrous, adaxials hairy at base, basal spur 0(or 1).
(3 or)4, oblong, 2–2.5 mm, margins thickened, inrolled.
2–4(–6), round to oblong, 1.5–2.2 mm, margins thin, scarcely inrolled.
= 14, 28, 42.
= 14.
Collinsia parviflora
Collinsia linearis
Collinsia parviflora is the closest relative of C. grandiflora and is primarily a plant of moist montane habitats with well-drained, rocky or sandy soil. However, it occurs in a wide range of habitats across its entire range. The species is also the most widespread taxon within Collinsia. Some plants from the western coastal ranges may be difficult to separate from C. grandiflora.
Collinsia parviflora is frequently confused with C. wrightii. The corollas of C. wrightii are distinctly purplish; those of C. parviflora are bright blue. The acute to acuminate sepals of C. parviflora contrast with the blunt, rounded tips of sepals of C. wrightii.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Collinsia linearis and C. rattanii occupy similar habitats, often growing in rocky soil derived from mafic, volcanic rock. They form a lineage but may not be reciprocally monophyletic (B. G. Baldwin et al. 2011). Other than differences in corolla size and shape, and, possibly, seed morphology, they are extremely similar. Corolla shape (floor of throat angled 45° to 60° from abaxial side of calyx and reflexed portion of adaxial lip length 1.5 to 2 times throat) and smaller corolla size are characteristic of C. linearis. Some plants from this lineage, mostly from Oregon, are difficult to assign to either C. linearis or C. rattanii.
Specimens annotated as Collinsia linearis from British Columbia have not been verified.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
MI Flora, 
PNW Herbaria, 
SW CO Wildflowers, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
