Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Strict Blue-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium montanum
Iris family (Iridaceae)

Strict Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium montanum) is a delicate plant found with difficulty as it is often hidden by other plants. Sisyrinchium montanum is found throughout the Rocky Mountain region. The plant has been traditionally used to treat a range of ailments from digestive disorders to menstrual problems. Linnaeus named this in 1753. "Sisyrinchium" is an ancient Greek name for an Iris-like plant.


©2006 "SB_Johnny"

Description

Erect , 4-20" tall, with stiff, flattened, and winged stems. , , grass-like, and folded lengthwise. Flowers are blue-purple with 6 pointed petals surrounding a yellow center. A large, leaf-like () initially encloses the flower bud and then subtends and surrounds the flower on one side once the flower opens. are round .

Field Marks

Stiff grass-like leaves, flattened and , and blue-purple flowers with yellow centers.

© Al Schneider

linear -- Long and very narrow like a blade of grass.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

Bracts are modified leaves associated with a flower.

A spathe is the petal-like leaf in flowers such as Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Skunk Cabbage.

capsule -- a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. In most cases the capsule splits apart to release seeds.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

basal leaves -- a leaf that grows lowest on the stem of a plant.

genus -- A subdivision of a botanical Family in which all members have a significant number of similar characteristics.

wing -- A maple seed has wings.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.