Sisyrinchium albidum — white blue-eyed-grass
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Facts
White blue-eyed-grass is native to much of eastern and southeastern North America, but is known in New England only as a single collection from Maine, very disjunct from the rest of its range. It is a rather variable species whose tepals may be white or pale violet.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields, woodlands
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Maine
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Flower petal color
-
- blue to purple
- white
- Flower petal length
- 6–12.5 mm
- Petal fusion
- the perianth parts are separate
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence is a scorpioid cyme (a curled cyme that uncurls as the flowers sequentially bloom)
- the inflorescence is an umbel (with an axis so short it appears the flowers all originate from the same point)
- Ovary position
- the ovary is below the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Fruit length
- 2.8–4 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Axillary bulblets
- there are no bulblets being produced in axils
-
Flowers
- Anther attachment
- the anther is attached by its base to the filament
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused (the number of carpels equals the number of locules)
- Flower number
- 2
- Flower petal color
-
- blue to purple
- white
- Flower petal length
- 6–12.5 mm
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowering stem width
- 1.5–3.4 mm
- Form of style
- the style is branched above the base
- Fringed petal edges
- the petals are not fringed
- Hairs on flower stalk
- the flower stalk has no hairs on it
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence is a scorpioid cyme (a curled cyme that uncurls as the flowers sequentially bloom)
- the inflorescence is an umbel (with an axis so short it appears the flowers all originate from the same point)
- Length of flower stalk
- 0 mm
- Length of peduncle
- 0 mm
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of styles
- 3
- Ovary position
- the ovary is below the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal fusion
- the perianth parts are separate
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
- Sepal length
- 6–12.5 mm
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spathe
-
- the plant does not have a spathe
- the plant has a spathe surrounding the flower spike
- Spathe form
- NA
- Stamen number
- 3
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are fused to one another at or near their bases
- Stamens fused outwards
- the stamens are not fused to the petals or tepals
- Style petal-like
- the style is not broad and flattened like a petal
- Tepals
- the petals and sepals are similar in size and color
-
Fruits or seeds
- Berry color
- NA
- Fruit compartments
- there are three locules in the fruit
- Fruit length
- 2.8–4 mm
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Other markings on berry
- NA
-
Glands or sap
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- Leaf blade basal lobes
- the leaf blades do not have basal lobes
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf blade clasps the stem at the base, or the leaf blade goes all the way around the stem, so that the stem appears to pierce the leaf blade
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section
- Leaf blade faces
- the surfaces of the leaf blade are composed of tissues from the abaxial side only
- Leaf blade form
- Fully-formed (i.e., expanded), +/- green leaf blades are found somewhere on the plant
- Leaf blade orientation
- the edge of the leaf blade faces the stem of the plant
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade veins
- the lateral veins are parallel or slightly arched in the direction of the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 0.8–5 mm
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
- Stipule twining
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on this plant
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Maine
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
- woodlands
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the leaves have no particular smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem leaves
- there is at least one fully-formed leaf on the flowering stem
Wetland status
Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
None
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Sisyrinchium albidum Raf. NC
white blue-eyed-grass. Sisyrinchium bermudianum L. var. albidum (Raf.) Gray; S. scabrellum Bickn. • ME. Woodlands, sandy fields, roadsides. This species is considered native to New England by most authors. Its true status in the region is questionable given its highly disjunct location. It is known only as a historical plant from York County, ME.