286 FLORA. 



than the inner bracts; seeds globose, I mm. or less in diameter, umbilicate. dis- 

 tinctly pitted. Mo. to Mich., La., Ala. and N. Car. April-June. 



3. Sisyrinchium campestre Bicknell. PRAIRIE BLUE-EYED GRASS. Similar 

 to S. mucronatum Michx., but often stiffer and more glaucous, with always smooth- 

 edged stems and leaves, usually broader, more gibbous spathes, and pale blue or 

 frequently white flowers. Stem usually less than I mm. wide, the leaves rather 

 broader; spathes green to dull pink- purple, the bracts commonly scabrous-puberu- 

 lent all over, but sometimes glabrous, the outer one usually less slenderly prolonged 

 than in S. mucronatum, and not united-clasping at base, or but slightly so, 2.5-4.5 

 cm. long, rarely more than twice longer than the inner bract, which emerges more 

 abruptly from the base of the spathe than in S. mucronatum, and has more broadly 

 hyaline edges ; capsules pale, trigonous-subglobose, 2-4 mm. high. Wis. to N. 

 Dak., La. and N. Mex., mostly on prairies. May-June. 



Sisyrinchium campestre Kansanum Bicknell. Becoming stouter and broader-leaved 

 than the type with larger, longer-bracted spathes and coarser roots ; pale green and 

 glaucous, usually without any purplish tinge, the flowers apparently always white. Stems 

 rather broadly winged, 1-2 mm. wide, the stiff often falcate leaves becoming 2.5 mm. 

 wide; bracts mostly smooth, sometimes obscurely roughened, the margins conspicuously 

 white-hyaline, the outer one slenderly prolonged often for more than twice the length of 

 the inner one, sometimes 6.5 cm. long; capsules apparently not larger than in the type. 

 Kans. and Oklohoma. 



4. Sisyrinchium flaviflorum Bicknell. YELLOW-FLOWERED SISYRINCHIUM. 

 About 2. 5 dm. high, dull green, glaucescent. Leaves sometimes equalling the stems, 

 smooth-edged or nearly so, acute, the larger ones broadened upward, 12.5 mm - 

 wide ; stems rather prominently winged, 1-3 mm. wide, broader at the base of the 

 spathe, smooth-edged ; bracts of the spathe membranous, smooth, the outer one 

 much prolonged and foliaceous, mostly about 6 cm. long and surpassing the inner 

 bract 3-4 cm., the narrowly hyaline margins free to the base ; flowers lemon- 

 yellow, on pedicels 10-15 mm. long, sometimes only half the length of the inner 

 bract; perianth about 12 mm. long. Fruit not known. Missouri. June. 



5. Sisyrinchium mucronatum Michx. MICHAUX'S BLUE-EYED GRASS. 

 More caespitose than S. angitstifolium and decidedly more slender and delicate, 

 with smaller spathes and capsules, sometimes scarcely glaucescent and the spathes 

 often bright red-purple. Stem and leaves from capillaceous to 1.5 mm. wide, 

 rarely wider, the edges very smooth to denticulate-scabrous, the stems narrowly 

 winged or merely margined, sometimes not longer than the leaves ; spathes often 

 slightly bent, the bracts thin, glabrous, hyaline-margined, the outer one slenderly 

 prolonged, 1.5-6 cm. long, united -clasping for 1-6 mm. at base; inner bract scarious, 

 obtuse to attenuate, IO-2O mm. long, gradually emerging from the outer one, 

 flowers deep violet blue, rarely white; perianth 614 mm. long ; capsules pale 

 and thin-walled, subglobose to obovate-oblong, trigonous, 2-4 mm. high, on slender 

 subspreading exserted pedicels. In meadows and fields, southeastern Mich, to N. J. 

 and Va. May-June. 



6. Sisyrinchium angustifolium Miller. NORTHERN BLUE-EYED GRASS. (I. F. 

 f. 1085.) Stiff and erect, pale and glaucous, 8-55 cm. high. Leaves half the height 

 of the stem or longer, 1-3.5 mm - wide, acute, the edges minutely serrulate ; stem 

 simple or rarely branched, 1-3 mm. wide, winged, the edges minutely serrulate; 

 spathes green or slightly purplish, the outer bract rarely less than twice the length 

 of the inner one, 26.5 cm. long, obscurely hyaline- margined, united-clasping for 

 2-6 mm. at base; inner bract attenuate, 15-30 mm. long ; flowers deep violet- 

 blue ; the perianth 10-12 mm. long ; capsules broadly oval to globose, 4-6 mm. 

 high, pale, often purplish-tinged, on erect pedicels usually shorter than the inner 

 bract. Fields and hillsides, Newf. to N. J. and on the mountains to Va., west 

 to Saskatchewan and Colo. May -June. 



7. Sisyrinchium intermedium Bicknell. INTERMEDIATE BLUE-EYED GRASS. 

 Dull green and glaucescent, drying dark, the spathes usually purple. Tufts not 

 fibrose at base, 10-40 cm. high ; stems either simple or branched above into two 

 peduncles ; leaves very thin and weak-nerved, 1.5-2.5 mm. wide, often smooth- 

 edged ; stems erect but frail, mostly 1.5 mm. wide, very flat, the thin wings serru- 

 late ; peduncles usually shorter than the subtending 2eaf, 5-8 cm. long, the outer one 



