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. imicronatum, 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 flavifldrum Bicknell. YELLOW-FLPWERED 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, 1-2.5 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. angustifolium 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, 10-20 mm. long, gradually emerging from the outer one, 

 flowers deep violet blue, rarely white; perianth 6-14 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, 2-6.5 cm - l n g> obscurely hyaline-margined, united-clasping tor 

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

 blue ; the perianth IO-I2 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 ; steins either simple or branched above into two 

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

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

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



