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

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Sisyrinchium birameum Piper