Howard's Alpine Forget-me-not

Eritrichum howardii is a densely matted, long-lived perennial herb under 10 centimetres (4 in) tall. The plant often appears stemless. The leaves are densely covered with silvery hairs, and are narrowly oblanceolate with acute tips. The flowers are bright blue and showy, 5 to 9 millimetres (1⁄4 to 3⁄8 in) wide, with a yellow center or eye. The flowers are borne in dense clusters at the tip of the stems. The fruit consists of one to four hairy nutlets. It resembles E. nanum, the leaves of which are more sparsely hairy.

Eritrichium howardii is found in the Rocky Mountain area. It is not a well-studied species, and most information about its distribution comes from informal sightings rather than surveys. The Eritrichium genus is widely distributed through Eurasia, but only three species are found in North America, including E. howardii. Eritrichum howardii’s range lies within the Yellowstone Highlands and Bighorn Mountains sections of the Southern Rocky Mountain Steppe-Open Woodland-Coniferous Forest-Alpine Meadow Province. Eritrichum howardii is a cushion-like, mat-forming species that tends to occur in more or less open, sparsely vegetated sites with little shade, most often on calcareous soils. In Montana, the species is documented as occurring on open, exposed ridges or grassy slopes. E. howardii is observed in different soil types, including deep red clay, dolomite, and limestone. Elevations range from 1,219–2,651 metres (3,999–8,698 ft).