Sisyrinchium montanum
Sisyrinchium albidum
Bermudienne montagnarde, mountain blue-eyed-grass, strict blue-eyed-grass
white blue-eyed-grass
simple, obviously winged, (1.5–)2–3.7 mm wide, glabrous, margins entire (in eastern populations) to denticulate (in western populations) apically, similar in color and texture to stem body.
apparently simple, not wiry, obviously winged, 1.5–3.4 mm wide, glabrous to scabrous, margins entire to denticulate apically, similar in color and texture to stem body.
blades glabrous, bases not persistent in fibrous tufts.
blades usually glabrous, bases not persistent in fibrous tufts.
borne singly;
spathes usually green or bronze, rarely with purplish margins, glabrous, keels usually denticulate;
outer 36–76 mm, 12–46 mm longer than inner, slightly constricted proximal to apex, margins basally connate 2–5.7 mm;
inner with keel ± gibbous basally, sinuous proximally, hyaline margins 0.1–0.3 mm wide, apex acuminate to acute, ending 0.9–4.3 mm proximal to recurved green apex.
paired, closely subtended by long, bractlike leaf that often obscures first (inner) inflorescence, sessile or occasionally second (outer) with branch to 5 mm;
spathes green or occasionally with purplish tinge, glabrous or occasionally scabrous, keels usually denticulate;
outer spathe of outer rhipidium 14–30 mm, 0.3–3.7 mm longer than inner, outer spathe of inner rhipidium 1–3.5 mm shorter than inner, both tapering evenly towards apex, margins distinct or rarely connate basally to 1 mm;
inner with keel straight or somewhat curved, hyaline margins 0.1–0.5 mm wide, apex acute to obtuse or rarely truncate, ending 0.2–2.5 mm proximal to green apex.
tepals dark bluish violet, bases yellow;
outer tepals 9–14.5 mm, apex emarginate to retuse, aristate;
filaments connate ± entirely, stipitate-glandular basally;
ovary similar in color to foliage.
tepals white or blue, bases yellow;
outer tepals 6–12.5 mm, apex emarginate, aristate;
filaments connate ± entirely, slightly stipitate-glandular basally;
ovary similar in color to foliage.
tan to dark brown, sometimes with purplish tinge apically, ± globose to obovoid, 4–6.8 mm;
pedicel erect to spreading.
tan to light brown, ± globose, 2.8–4 mm;
pedicel spreading or ascending.
globose to obconic, lacking obvious depression, 0.9–1.5 mm, rugulose.
globose to obconic, lacking obvious depression, 0.8–1.1 mm, granular to rugulose.
= 32.
Sisyrinchium montanum
Sisyrinchium albidum
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
Eastern coastal populations of Sisyrinchium montanum appear to have some slight affinity to S. angustifolium (e.g., long connation of outer spathe) and some previous floras have combined the two taxa. Some taxonomists have questioned the recognition of varieties within S. montanum, but we feel that the differences between them are no more subtle than those between varieties generally recognized elsewhere in the genus. Living material was not available to us to investigate breeding barriers. Although Sisyrinchium montanum is considered weedy by D. T. Patterson et al. (1989), I have seen many populations all through the western states and Great Lakes areas and would not consider it weedy in any of these portions of the range.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Margins of outer spathe connate basally 4–5.7 mm; plants drying dark brown or bronze. | var. crebrum |
1. Margins of outer spathe connate basally 1–3.5 mm; plants drying green to olive. | var. montanum |
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