[Wikipedia] Range, Habitat, Early Bloomer: Veronica missurica (syn. Synthyris missurica) is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae known by the common names tailed kittentails,[2] mountain kittentails, or Columbia kittentails. It is native to the Pacific Northwest of the United States, where it grows in moist areas in forests and other mountain and foothill habitat types. It is often one of the first wildflowers to bloom in its mountain habitat, sometimes coming up before the snow is melted. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)