General:
Perennial tufted herb from a fibrous root; stems simple or sometimes branched, flat, winged, 10-42 cm tall.

Leaves:
Mostly basal, the blades several, linear, 10-30 cm long, (0.5) 2-2.5 (4.5) mm wide, sheathing, the margins entire to fine-toothed, the tips long-pointed; stem leaves 1 or few at the nodes, similar to basal.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of 2 to 7 showy, erect to nodding flowers on slender, smooth to slightly glandular, 2- to 2.5-cm long stalks; flowers pale blue to purple or deep violet-purple, of 6 distinct, narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate segments, these similar, 1-1.5 (2) cm long, rounded to blunt, abruptly bristle-tipped, the tubes slightly inflated below, 1-2 mm long; bracts 2, unequal, the outer one usually exceeding the flowers; filaments fused about 1/3 their length; anthers (1) 1.3-2 (2.5) mm long, yellow.

Fruits:
Capsules, egg-shaped to globe-shaped, 4-5.5 (6.5) mm long; seeds numerous, globe-shaped to angled, black, (1) 1.3-1.8 mm wide.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia