Sisyrichium idahoense

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Revision as of 11:41, 16 April 2012 by Vassof01 (Talk | contribs) (Distribution)

Sisyrichium idahoense seed. Photo by Lisa Hintz
  • Scientific Name: Sisyrichium idahoense
  • Family: Iridaceae
  • English Names: Blue-eyed grass, Idaho blue-eyed grass
  • Other Names: Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Taxonomy

  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • (unranked): Angiosperms
  • (unranked): Monocots
  • Order: Asparagales
  • Family: Iridaceae
  • Subfamily: Iridoideae
  • Tribe: Sisyrinchieae
  • Genus: Sisyrinchium
  • Species: S. idahoense

Description

Showy, tufted perennial to 40 cm tall; stems usually flattened and wing-margined. Leaves mostly basal, long (to 20 cm).and very narrow (< 2 mm broad). Flowers blue to purplish-blue often with a yellow "eye", small (about 2 cm across) and in a terminal cluster of one to five flowers above a pair of sheathing, leaf-like bracts. Fruits egg-shaped capsules to 6 mm long, with black seeds [1]

Bloom Period

May to July

Distribution

Habitat

Uses

Site Rehabilitation

Possible reclamation species in moister pockets in selected sites [2]

Wildlife

Solitary bees of the family Megachilidae are mainly responsible for cross-pollination in natural populations [3]

Landscaping

Mass-plant to create a showy display in a border or a rock garden [4]

First Nations

Infusion of root given to children for diarrhea; Eaten as cooked greens for “regular bowels”; decoction of roots and stalks taken before morning meal for constipation; compound with plant taken for “summer complaint”; infusion of plant taken for stomach troubles and stomach worms; mixed with other greens and eaten.

Propagation

Photo Gallery

References

  1. Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994
  2. Winters, 2002
  3. Henderson, 1976
  4. Tenenbaum et al., 1994