Hi-- I am a NARGS member for ten years but new to post. I live in Seattle, Washington, and did seed collections of different native species from around the state including some of interest to fellow rock gardeners like Campanula piperi, Douglasia, Erythronium, Lewisia tweedyi, Petrophytum cinerascens, etc . I decided to make extra seed available through an online seed store, if any are interested [use link http://fringenursery.com/ ].
Washington has some nice native species and many obscure ones too. Synthyris schizantha fits into both categories. Its range is from the west slopes of the Olympic Mtns to foothills west of Mt Rainier and south to the Saddle Mtn area of NW Oregon. Where I've seen it growing at mid-elevations in western Olympics, it is abundant growing on thin soils atop boulders, in cool vertical rock walls, or on the forest floor. The flowers are arranged in a cone at the top of a long 6-8 inch stem. The unusual petals are blue with darker blue veins and look tattered or torn, sort of resembling a Soldanella. Leaves are deciduous and can grow as large as 7 inches (20cm) across though 3-4 inches is typical.
