106 IRIDACEAE. 



Sisyrinchium idahoense Bicknell. Stems tufted, 20-45 cm. tall, com- 

 pressed and winged, the edges serrulate; leaves shorter than the stems, linear, 

 acute, 1-3.5 mm. wide, all radical, or occasionally one on the stem; bracts long 

 and narrow; flowers 3-6, pedicelled, dark blue, with a small yellow center; 

 perianth-segments 12-18 mm. long, rnucronate. 



Wet meadows, Vancouver Island to Oregon and Idaho. 



Sisyrinchium segetum Bicknell. Tufted, rather pale; stems slender, 

 10-20 cm. high, exceeding the leaves, these about 2 mm. wide; bracts purple, 

 subequal, thin in texture; flowers violet-blue, on slender pedicels; capsule 

 oblong. 



In meadows, Washington and Oregon, west of the Cascade Mountains. 



131. OLSYNIUM. 



Very similar to Sisyrinchium but the filaments united only at 

 the base and the flowers never blue. 



Olsynium grandiflorum (Dougl.) Raf. Stems mostly solitary, 15-30 cm. 

 tall, compressed; roots fascicled, stout; leaf-blades 5-10 cm. long, erect, shorter 

 than the sheaths; flowers 1-4, the pedicels shorter than the largest bract; 

 perianth segments reddish-purple, broadly lanceolate, acuminate, 15-18 mm. 

 long; filaments broad at the base, shorter than the 3-cleft style. 



Victoria, British Columbia, Macoun; Whidby Island, Gardner. Rare 

 west of the Cascade Mountains, but common in the interior. 



132. HYDASTYLUS. 



Annual or perennial herbs resembling Sisyrinchium; root- 

 stocks poorly developed ; leaves narrowly linear, the bases more 

 or less membranously expanded ; flowers on a scape, enclosed by 

 a spathe of 2 bracts which enclose membranous scales; perianth 

 yellow, the segments narrow, obtuse or acute; filaments free for 

 at least half their length; anthers linear, versatile; styles slender, 

 divergent; capsule oblong to globose, 3-celled, many or few- 

 seeded; seeds rounded. 



Pedicels 15-20 mm. long; leaves 1-3 mm. broad. H. borealis. 



Pedicels 10-15 mm. long; leaves 2-5 mm. broad. H. brachypus. 



Hydastylus borealis Bicknell. Stems 6-30 cm. high, exceeding the leaves; 

 leaves 1-3 mm. wide; flowers on erect pedicels 15-22 mm. long; perianth 

 segments 8—10 mm. long. 



Along the seacoast. 



Hydastylus brachypus Bicknell. Like H. borealis but with broader leaves 

 and shorter pedicels. 



In seashore meadows. Probably not distinct from H. borealis. 



Family 24. ORCHIDACEAE. Orchid Family. 



Perennial herbs, mostly with corms, bulbs or tubers; leaves en- 

 tire, sheathing, sometimes reduced to scales; flowers perfect, 

 irregular, bracted, solitary, spiked or racemed; perianth superior, 

 of 6 segments, the three outer (sepals) alike or nearly so; two of 



