E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Sisyrinchium idahoense var. occidentale E.P. Bicknell
Idaho blue-eyed grass
Iridaceae (Iris family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants
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E-Flora BC Static Map
Distribution of Sisyrinchium idahoense var. occidentale
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Species Information

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PMIRI0D0T2
PMIRI0D0T1


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

Habitat / Range

Moist grassy meadows in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; var. idahoense - rare in S BC; var. macounii - rare on S Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands; var. idahoense S to WY, ID and N CA; var. macounii - S to WA.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References