Mertensia bella is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common names beautiful bluebells and Oregon lungwort. It is native to the northwestern United States, where it grows in wet mountain habitat. It is a perennial herb producing a slender, erect stem and caudex unit up to half a meter tall. The rough-haired leaves are alternately arranged and borne on petioles. The inflorescence is an open array of clustered bright blue, bell-shaped flowers up to a centimeter wide at the lobed mouths.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it poisonous?
We have no record of Oregon lungwort being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Mertensia paniculata
- Mertensia ciliata
- Mertensia subcordata
- Mertensia franciscana
- Mertensia arizonica
- Mertensia brevistyla
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Boraginales
- Family
- Boraginaceae
- Genus
- Mertensia
- Species
- Mertensia bella
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