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Sisyrinchium elizabethae

Sisyrinchium elizabethae E.L. Keith

Elizabeth's Blue-eyed Grass

Iridaceae (Iris family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: SIEL7

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

"Perennial herbs caespitose, light green to olive green when dry, to 4.8 dm, usually glaucous. Stems mostly simple or rarely with one or two branched stems, obviously winged (2.5) 3.7–6.0 mm wide when fresh, 2–3.7 mm when dry, mostly glabrous, margins entire, similar in color and texture to stem body. Leaves glabrous, 3.1–5.5 mm wide when fresh, 1.5–3.9 mm when dry, leaf bases rarely with persistent fibrous tufts or none. Inflorescences paired, closely subtended by bract-like leaf that often obscures inner inflorescence, sessile or rarely outer with branch to 5 cm. Spathes green or occasionally tan without a purplish tinge except at base, glabrous, keels entire; outer spathe of outer rhipidium 15.1–48 mm, outer spathe usually longer than inner to 27.1 mm, but occasionally shorter to 5 mm, outer spathe of inner rhipidium 12.9–28.2 mm, 9.1 mm shorter to 4.1 mm longer than inner spathe, both tapering evenly towards apex, margins occasionally distinct but more often connate basally to 3.4 mm; inner with keel straight or somewhat curved, apex acute to obtuse or rarely truncate. Tepals light blue, bases yellow; outer tepals 8.9–11.5 mm, apex emarginate, aristate; filaments connate ± entirely, slightly stipitate-glandular basally; ovary color is usually tan, but occasionally to brown, never black when dry. Capsules tan to brown, ± globose, 3–6.6 mm; pedicel spreading or ascending. Seeds irregular, globose or obconic, 0.8–1.2 mm, granular to rugulose." (reslit: 3175).