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Sisyrinchium californicum

Sisyrinchium californicum (Ker Gawl.) Aiton

Golden Blue-eyed Grass

Iridaceae (Iris Family)

Synonym(s): Hydastylus borealis, Hydastylus brachypus, Hydastylus californicus, Sisyrinchium boreale

USDA Symbol: sica8

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Pale-green, iris-like, basal leaves arise from creeping rhizomes which expand the colony year by year. Leaves turn black upon drying. 6-24 in. stems bear clusters of small, star-shaped golden-yellow flowers. Individual flowers last only one day but are produced in great quantities. One or few delicate flowers, resembling 6-pointed stars, held above leaves top a flat stem in 2 broad bracts, generally with 1 flower in bloom at a time; 1 cluster of narrow, sword-shaped leaves near base.

There are only a few yellow-flowered Sisyrinchiums in the West. Two species from Arizona resemble S. californicum, both called Yellow-eyed or Golden-eyed Grass: S. cernuum, found in southeastern Arizona and Mexico, has petal-like segments less than 1/4 of an inch (6 mm) long, with flowers on slender bent stalks; S. longipes, found from northern Arizona to Mexico, has petal-like segments 3/8-1/2 of an inch (8-13 mm) long, with flowers on erect stalks. Elmer's Golden-eyed Grass (S. elmeri), which has stems generally less than 1/8 of an inch (2 mm) wide, is found in much of California. Arizona Golden-eyed Grass (S. arizonicum) is a robust plant with branched stems bearing yellow-orange flowers more than one inch (2.5 cm) wide; it grows in the mountains of eastern Arizona and western New Mexico.

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: CA , OR , WA
Canada: BC
Native Distribution: Coastal areas from Monterey Co., CA to Vancouver I., B.C.
Native Habitat: Freshwater marshes; low, moist places

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Wet
Soil Description: Moist to wet soils.
Conditions Comments: Reseeds readily.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by seed or divisions.
Seed Treatment: No treatment is required.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:			FACW							FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Sisyrinchium californicum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Sisyrinchium californicum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Sisyrinchium californicum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-27
Research By: TWC Staff

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