Common Names: Littleflower Penstemon, Tall Alpine Beardtongue

H&C lists 4 varieties:
var. procerus: poorly developed basal leaves, blue corolla, mostly in E. Cascades up to mid-elevations.
var. tolmiei: well developed basal leaves, blue corolla, mid to high elevations in Cascades, Olympic Mtns.
var. formosus: Dwarf alpine and sub-alpine, with relatively short, broad basal leaves, Wallawa and Strawberry Mtns of eastern Oregon.
var. brachyanthus: Taller than var. formosus, mid to sub-alpine, Oregon Cascades and Wallowa Mtns.

USDA lists 6 varieties of which only 2 are found in WA.
var. aberrans: found only in UT.
var. brachyanthus: found only in OR and CA.
var. formosus:
var. modestus: found only in NV.
var. procerus: found throughout the west including WA.
var. tolmiei: found only in WA and BC.

Note flower from woody creeping stems, stem leaves are opposite, clasping, thin, with single flower cluster.

Found along:
Sourdough Gap Trail (1902m)
Mt. Rainer (Wonderland Trail) (1941m)
Mt. Townsend (Little Quilcene Trail) (1735m)