IRIDACEAE. 287 



divergent; bracts of the spathe thin, cuspidate-acute; the outer one attenuately 

 prolonged, 2-6 cm. long, on simple stems sometimes three times the length of the 

 inner one; flowers few, 3-6, pale blue; perianth 8-12 mm. long; capsules dark, 

 subglobose, about 4 mm. high, on slenderly exserted finally spreading pedicels. 

 S. N. J. to N. Car. May-June. Intermediate in appearance between S. angusti- 

 folium, or S. mucronatum, and S. graminoides, 



8. Sisyrinchium arenicola Bicknell. SAND BLUE-EYED GRASS. Deep green 

 or glaucescent, often purplish-tinged, the base of the tufts coarsely fibrous. Leaves 

 stiff, attenuate, cuspidate-acute, "1-3 mm. wide, closely striate; usually serrulate; 

 stem erect, often curved, 20-40 cm. high, 1.5-3 mm. wide, stiff, the firm wings 

 striate, mostly serrulate ; node commonly only one, its erect leaf conspicuous, 

 attenuate-acute, the compressed broadened base strongly striate; peduncles 2-4, 

 curved, subequal and approximate, 3-12 cm. long, mostly I mm. wide or more; 

 spathes erect, the acute bracts firm and strongly striate, slightly unequal; flowers 

 sometimes as many as 12, deep violet-blue; perianth 8-10 mm. long; capsules dark 

 and thick walled on erect slightly exserted pedicels, broadly oval or obovoid, 3-5 mm. 

 high. L. L, Staten I. and N. j., in sandy soil on or near the coast. June-July. 



9. Sisyrinchium Farwellii Bicknell. FARWELL'S BLUE-EYED GRASS. Dull 

 green and glaucescent, not turning dark when dry, the thin tufts fibrous-coated at 

 base. Leaves much shorter than the stems, 1-3 mm. wide, firm, membranous, at- 

 tenuate-acute, the edges serrulate to smooth. Stems flexuous-erect, 20-30 cm. 

 high, 1-2 mm. wide, winged, the edges usually serrulate; nodes one or two, their 

 leaves shorter than the two or three peduncles, slenderly attenuate; peduncles very 

 slender, 4-11 cm. long, mostly less than 0.5 mm. wide; spathes pale, narrow. 17-20 

 mm. long, the bracts subequal, papery, sometimes only obscurely nerved, slender- 

 pointed or subaristulate. Flowers very small, pale blue. Capsules pale and thin- 

 walled, subglobose, 2-3 mm. high on slender, flexuously erect, much exserted pedi- 

 cels. Southeastern Mich. 



10. Sisyrinchium graminoides Bicknell. COMMON BLUE-EYED GRASS. 

 (I. F. f. 1083.) Sometimes not at all tufted, bright green, often glaucescent, drying 

 dark. Stem and leaves thin and grass-like, 2-6 mm. wide, the edges minutely 

 serrulate ; leaves usually half the height of the stem ; stem broadly winged, 

 forking into two winged peduncles 5-20 cm. long, subtended by a conspicuous 

 erect acuminate leaf ; nodes sometimes two ; spathes mostly green, erect, the 

 bracts subequal or sometimes the outer one foliaceously prolonged, the inner 

 one acute or attenuate, 15-20 mm. long; flowers 3-6, blue, the perianth 8-10 mm. 

 long ; capsules dark and thin-walled, subglobose, 4-5 mm. high, on slender 

 exserted flexuously spreading or finally recurved pedicels. Mass, and N. H. to 

 Minn., Fla. and Tex. May-June. 



11. Sisyrinchium Atlanticum Bicknell. EASTERN BLUE-EYED GRASS. 

 (I. F. f. 1084.) Very pale and glaucous, not drying dark, the narrow stems and 

 leaves firm and very smooth, mostly 1-2 mm. wide, rarely 3 mm. Leaves attenu- 

 ate, commonly about half the height of the stern ; stem margined or narrowly 

 winged, often somewhat geniculate at the one or two nodes; peduncles 1-3, slender, 

 usually short ; spathes often bent sideways, usually slightly purplish, the thin 

 bracts subequal. the outer one usually acute, the inr.er one scarious-obtuse, mostly 

 12-15 mm. long ; flowers 3-10, violet-blue; perianth 6-12 mm. long ; capsules 

 dark and thick-walled, more or less oblong, 2-4.5 mm - high, contiguous on erect 

 little-exserted pedicels. Mass, and Vt., along and near the coast to Fla., usually 

 in or near brackish marshes. May-June. 



12. Sisyrinchium apiculatum Bicknell. APICULATE BLUE-EYED GRASS. 

 Pale green and glaucescent, keeping its color when dry, about 40 cm. high, not 

 fibrous at base. Leaves about half the height of the stems, becoming over 2 mm. 

 wide, acute, firm, withering-persistent, the edges very smooth ; stem 1-2 mm. 

 wide, narrowly winged, the edges smooth; nodes mostly two, supporting 1-3 slen- 

 der peduncles 3-8 cm. long; leaf of upper node very short; spathes green, often 

 deflected, short and rather broad, 10-13 mm - l n g> the subequal bracts convex, 

 strongly striate, acute or the inner one obtuse, the margins rather broadly white - 

 hyaline ; flowers small, violet-blue ; capsules dark, broadly subglobose, distinctly 

 upiculate, 2.5-3.5 mm. high, sparsely puberulent, on loosely erect well-exserted 

 margined pedicels. Muskegon Co., Mich. June. 



