Stems erect, 11–65 cm, glabrous or tomentose; branches usually borne on most of stem (occa­sionally confined to distal por­tion), well exceeding infruc­tes­cence. Leaves: petiole 1–5 mm, glabrous or tomentose (leaves rarely sessile); leaf blades slightly or moderately hetero­morphic; stem leaf blades ovate to narrowly lanceolate, narrowly to very narrowly elliptic, or elliptic, (2–)3–5(–6) cm × (3–)4–27 mm, margins entire, not revolute, not ciliate, apex acute (somewhat acuminate), surfaces glabrous or densely (rarely sparsely) tomentose; branch leaf blades narrower than stem leaf blades, (2.2–)3–4.7(–5.6) cm × (2–)3–6(–13) mm. Flowers: sepals subu­late or narrowly deltate (deltate), (2–)3.5–6(–7.5) mm; corolla tube green to purplish or pinkish green, (7–)8–12(–13) mm, lobes bluish (violet- to lavender-tinged) to white especially after anthesis (pinkish, bluish, or purple-tinged), (2.8–)4.5–8 mm, outer surface of corolla glabrous. Follicles erect (aberrantly deformed and spreading), 2–8(–9.5) cm × (4–)4.8–6.8 mm, apex acu­minate, glabrous (partly tomentose). Seeds (8–)11–17 × (3–)3.9–5.5(–6.3) mm.

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): sw United States.

Both varieties of Amsonia tomentosa have an unusual pattern of variation in pubescence. Stems and leaves are usually either densely tomentose or glabrous, with intermediate density of pubescence rare. In some populations, the two forms are found together, suggest­ing that indument may be a single-gene trait.

Lower Taxa

• Amsonia tomentosa var. stenophylla Kearney & Peebles
• Amsonia tomentosa var. tomentosa