Page author: David Giblin
Sisyrinchium californicum
golden blue-eyed grass
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern Vancouver Island, B.C, to southern California.

Habitat: Wet ground, especially at the edges of lakes and bogs, at low to middle elevations.

Flowers: March-November

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies

Description:
General:

Tufted perennial herbs, the scapose stem unbranched, flattened and winged, 0.5-4 dm. tall

Leaves:

Leaves narrowly linear, sheathing, attached near the base of the stem, 3-25 cm. long and 2-5 mm. broad.

Flowers:

Flowers 2-7, on slender pedicels 1.5-5 cm. long, subtended by a pair of bracts about the same length as the pedicels; perianth rotate, yellow with deep brownish nerves, the 6 segments alike, nearly distinct, 8-11 mm. long; stamens 3, the filaments fused to each other less than their length; style branches slender, spreading; ovary inferior,.

Fruits:

Capsule 3-celled, oblong-ovoid, 8-12 mm. long.

Identification Notes:

None of our other species of Sisyrinchium or Olsynium are yellow.

Accepted Name:
Sisyrinchium californicum (Ker Gawl.) W.T.Aiton
Publication: Hortus Kew. 4: 135. 1812.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Sisyrinchium boreale (E.P. Bicknell) J.K. Henry
Sisyrinchium brachypus (E.P. Bicknell) J.K. Henry
Sisyrinchium flavidum Kellogg
Sisyrinchium lineatum Torr.
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Sisyrinchium californicum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Sisyrinchium californicum checklist entry

OregonFlora: Sisyrinchium californicum information

E-Flora BC: Sisyrinchium californicum atlas page

CalPhotos: Sisyrinchium californicum photos

12 photographs:
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