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Studies in Sisyrinchium.-III: S. angustifolium and Some Related Species New and Old
Author(s): Eugene P. Bicknell
Source: Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, Vol. 26, No. 7 (Jul., 1899), pp. 335-349
Published by: Torrey Botanical Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2478040
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Vol.
No. 7
26
BULLETIN
OF THE
TORREY
JULY
Studies
CLUB
BOTANICAL
in Sisyrinchium,?III:
Species
1899
S.
angustifolium
new and old,
and
some
related
By Eugene P. Bicknell.
Grass of the eastern states, Sisyrin?
The common Blue-eyed
chium angustifolium Miller, may be taken as representative of a sec?
tion of the genus Sisyrinchium, embracing those species having
The group of species
simple leafless stems with terminal spathes.
so characterized, if not strictly a natural one, forms, nevertheless, a
assemblage in the genus which it is altogether conve?
Nor is this subdivision entirely without natural
nient to recognize.
well-marked
status, for, taking the genus in North America as a whole, the degree
of branching shown by the different species is seen to be correlated
to some extent with their distribution. Thus the simple-stemmed
system
of branching
are
all
distinctively
fect knowledge
A very inter?
angustifolium, under whatever name designated.
has
thus
been
overlooked.
distinct
of
series
species
esting
No account is here taken of the northwestern S. ?grandiflorum
[Issued 18 July.]
(335)
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336
Bicknell
in Sisyrinchium
: Studies
in a subsequent
Sisyrinchium
paper.
angustifolium
1759.
In part. (?)
L. Sp. Pl. 954.
1753.
vS. gramineum Lam. Encyc. 1 : 408.
1783.
2. 1788.
vS. anceps Cav. Diss. 6: 345. //. ipo,f
5. Bermudiana
I have
races.
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Bicknell:
Studies
337
in Sisyrinchium
to Saskatchewan
and
Colorado
show
little
change
and stiffer with leaves
more eastern plant in being more glaucous
of rather thicker texture. Several specimens from British America
Others from
are unusually slender and apparently small-flowered.
are unusually stout and glaucous, and with some uni?
have
the spathes brightly colored with red-purple quite in
formity
contrast with anything seen from elsewhere, although the eastern
Still
plant sometimes has the spathes tinged with dull purple.
Minnesota
other specimens from Minnesota are tall and slender and apparently
scarcely glaucous, the spathes long and narrow, the flowers on very
slender pedicels and with delicately membranous perianth.
are branched.
I have
little doubt
distinctive name.
and
collected in Newfoundland
by Dr. Robinson
Specimens
Mr. Schrenk are very small throughout with thin broadly winged
stem and thin leaves, the capsules only 2 mm. high or less and on
spreading pedicels ; these specimens show quite as much
from Mt. Desert
discoloration
as 5. grapunoides.
Specimens
Island, Maine, collected by Rand and Redfield are well developed
examples of the usual eastern plant, and New Brunswick and Prince
somewhat
over
and Schrenk.
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338
in Sisyrinchium
: Studies
Bicknell
Specimens
Examined.
Britton.
Virginia : Mountain Lake, 4,000 ft. alt.
Pennsylvania : Pike Co., E. P. B.
New York : N. Y. Co., E. P. B. ; Westchester Co., Mrs. E. G.
Britton ; Greene Co., Miss A. M. Vail;
Chemung Co., Lucy ; Cheango
Co., Stewart;
Co., Brower;
Co., Fitch.
Tompkins
Oswego
Co., Rowlee,
Co., DeForest;
Kilbourne
Otsego
; Onondaga
Co. ; Washington
Co., Rusby;
Essex Co.,
Prince Edward
: Robinson
Newfoundland
Danville,
Quebec:
Ontario : Lambton
and Schrenk,
Waghorne.
Berg ; Montreal,
Co., Dodge
Kelly.
Toronto
; Jones Falls, Fowler;
Macoun ; Lincoln and Welland
British America
Aitken
South
Dakota
Co., Douglass.
Montana:
: Black
Hills, Rydberg,
W. S. Rusby;
Beadle
Custer,
Co., Tweedy ; Belt River, Williams;
Blankinship ; Madison and Gallatin Cos., Rydberg.
Ft. Union and Badland
Nebraska:
Creek, Hayden, 1853-4;
Sioux Co., Williams ; Ban?
Sheridan Co., J. G. Smith and Pound;
Park
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Bicknell
: Studies
mucronatum
Michx.
339
in Sisyrinchium
Fl.
Bor.
La
ft., Crandall;
Am.
2: 33.
1803.
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340
Bicknell
: Studies
in Sisyrinchium
of Michaux
to the exact
form of the plant the tufts are but 10-20 cm. high and
and stems only .5-1 mm. wide, the latter merely mar?
The leaves, com?
and with the edges mostly very smooth.
extreme
the leaves
gined
monly about one half the height of the stems, are erect and almost
setaceous, the edges sometimes obscurely roughened at the apex.
The narrow spathes have the outer bract 12?24 ni m. long and
for 5-12 mm. beyond the inner one which is
aristulate-prolonged
or bifid at the apex and apiculate from the midnerve ; the flowers are few and small, the perianth appearing to be
spreading
only 6?8 mm. long, on capillary, exserted, somewhat
scarious-obtuse
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Bicknell
: Studies
in Sisyrinchium
341
1896, is tall and slender the numerous leaves nearly as long as the
stems, many of which bear a bracteal leaf near the top subtending
one or two peduncles.
The plants were pale in color and the
more branched
to forms of
vS. Atlanticum.
In two or three of many specimens
are very obscurely scabrous.
campestre
sp. nov.
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342
Bicknell
Wisconsin
: Madison,
in Sisyrinchium
: Studies
Trelease.
Goodhue
Co., Taylor;
Co., Sandberg;
Meeker Co., Frost;
McLeod
many collectors;
Sheldon
Nicollet
Co.,
Co., Ballard;
;
Co., McElligott;
Ramsey
Swift Co., Payne ; Waseca Co., Taylor.
Minnesota:
Hennepin
Chicago
Co.,
North Dakota:
South
Geyer (1839).
Clay Co., Geyer; Lincoln Co., Redfield.
Lancaster
Co., Siegreist,
Co., Webber ; Saline
Dakota:
Nebraska:
Hayden (1853).
Missouri ; Atchison
Norton.
: Waugh.
: Hermit's
New Mexico
Peak, Snow.
Hall.
Co.,
Co., Fink ; Pottawattamie
Illinois : Menard
Iowa : Fayette
Co., Hayden
; Story
a logical ex?
two plants even appearing scarcely different?ahvays
pectation from conditions of close relationship between plants, how?
such dubious forms, the normal
ever distinct.
Notwithstanding
development of the two plants takes place along obviously different
In its typical state S. campestre is mostly a more glaucous
lines.
stem
plant than S. mucronatinn, of stiffer habit, with smooth-edged
and leaves, and paler blue or frequently white flowers on rather
pedicels ; the spathe is relatively larger with stiffer
primary bract, and though often of a dull pink-purple shade never
in typical 5.
develops the bright red-purple color so conspicuous
mucronatiun ; its bracts are also usually less membranous than in
less
exserted
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Bicknell
in Sisyrinchium
: Studies
343
spathe,
may be
of 5. campestre, but
that these represent anything more
traced
running through
there is no sufficient evidence
material
than mere states of the species, any one of which might appear
under the appropriate conditions of soil and situation.
The
form taken
as typical
has
the stem
the
inner bract 1-2 cm., the inner bract 1-2 cm. long, herbaceous at?
or hyaline-margined to the acute apex, the flowers usually
light-blue and about io mm. long on slender pedicels subequal
tenuate
margins somewhat
tip.
A small proportion of specimens have the bracts quite smooth.
plants seem to be rare as far north as Minnesota, but more
they show a tendency to a slightly
frequent further south;
Such
broader stem than the type, especially near the base of the spathe,
and broader inner bract, and are frequently white-flowered, appa?
rently representing a transition to the variety Kansanum described
plant are, on technical
Specimens of this smooth-bracted
characters, sometimes with difficulty separable from S. mucrona?
tum, but as a rule are rather stouter, with smooth-edged
stem,
below.
stiffer leaves, broader inner bract and less united outer one.
Differing strikingly from the type when extreme forms are
compared but appearing to intergrade with it is a very slender form
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344
Bicknell
: Studies
in Sisyrinchium
The
is frequent or common in Minnesota and Missouri.
leaves are relatively long and with the stems mostly less than i
mm. wide, the spathes small and slender in proportion, the outer
which
Cer?
bract and frequently the inner one very slenderly attenuate.
numerous
have
from
Minnesota
tain of these slender specimens
unusually elongated leaves considerably surpassing the stems, very
short spathes and pedicels and capsules only 1.5?2.5 mm. high;
some of these specimens have no purplish tinge in the bracts and
rarely their bracts are quite
appear to be scarcely glaucescent;
glabrous.
Sisyrinchium
campestre
Kansanum
var. nov.
Nebraska
flowering
Co., Ft. Riley,
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Bicknell
: Studies
in Sisyrinchium
345
Sisyrinchium
flaviflorum
sp. nov.
older
Tufted, about 25 cm. high, dull green and glaucescent;
roots coarse and simple or nearly so.
Leaves about three-quar?
ters the height of the stems, 1-2 mm. wide, the larger ones
broadened upwards, acute, striate, the edges nearly or quite smooth :
stems 1.25-2
mm. wide, stiff and erect or sometimes curved,
into the base of the spathe, the wings prominently
broadened
striate, smooth-edged;
spathes green, 4-5 mm. wide near the
base ; primary bract very large and foliaceous, often curved, about
6 cm. long, obtusely pointed, surpassing the second bract 3-4 cm.,
very narrowly hyaline below, the margins free to the base ; inner
attenuate to
bract 2?2.5 cm- l?ng> hyaline-margined, herbaceous
the obtuse apex, emerging rather abruptly from the base of the
mm. long,
flowers apparently few on pedicels
io?15
spathe:
much shorter than the inner bract; perianth clear lemon yel?
low, about 12 mm. long, apparently of rather thick texture and
the divisions abruptly rounded or
minutely granulose-glandular,
truncate at the tip, very short aristulate ; column about 5 mm.
high; anthers rather large, 2-2.5 mm- l?ng> apparently less con?
tiguous than in allied species with the filaments less coherent at
the top ; young capsules obovate-oblong,
glandular-puberulent.
Bush.
Type in Herb. Missouri
in
flower.
Bot. Gard., June 7, 1892, just
Similar in general appearance to large examples of 5. campestre
Kansanum but of a peculiar dull green color with larger spathes
Missouri:
Courtney,
B.
F.
The
especially larger and more foliaceous primary bract.
of
the
feature
the
most
distinctive
afford
flowers, however,
plant
and appear to be peculiar in texture as well as in color, and in
larger anthers as compared with related forms.
and
with it.
Herbarium
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346
Bicknell
: Studies
in Sisyrinchium
albidum
1832.
Dull or rather bright green, the spathes often tinged with dull
or glaucescent,
commonly 30 cm. or less
red-purple, glaucous
the height of the stem,
half
Leaves
about
high (15-46
cm.).
wide
mm.
acute,
smooth-edged, but
very
mostly 1.5
(.5-3.5 mm.),
often serrulate above or sometimes throughout : stems commonly
1.5 mm. wide (1-3 mm.), often very flat, the wings thin and striate,
usually broader than the proper stem, serrulate or hispidulous on
and
the edges or sometimes smooth : spathes two, contiguous
sessile at the top of the stem or rarely the outer one pedunculate
on a short divergent branch, each two-bracted ; primary bract
2.5?7 cm- l?ng> foliaceous or slenderly attenuate, acute or obtuse,
surpassing the inner bracts 1.2-5 cm. the edges free to the base
outer bract of second spathe 1.3-2.7 cm.
and scarcely hyaline;
long, hyaline-margined, the tip herbaceous, sometimes obtuse, but
usually acute or attenuate, subequal with its fellow or surpassing
it by as much as 12 mm.; keels of inner bracts often ciliolate ;
interior scales about three quarters the length of the shorter bracts :
flowers varying from clear white to violet-blue, sometimes as
many as nine in each spathe ; perianth 8?12 mm. long ; stamineal
column 4-5 mm. high : capsules
pale, rather thick walled, de2?3 mm. high on slender, erect, or slightly
pressed-subglobose,
spreading pedicels 10-22 mm. long, little if at all longer than the
shorter bracts : seeds black, globose, prominently umbilicate, dis?
tinctly pitted .75?1 mm. in diameter.
to Missouri and Michigan ; North Caro?
in
early April in the extreme south, in April and
Flowering
early May as far north as southern Illinois, in late May and early
June in northern Illinois and Michigan.
Alabama
and Louisiana
lina.
Alabama
: Tuscaloosa
: Oktibbeha
Mississippi
Louisiana : Dr. Hale.
Tennessee
F. Price.
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: Studies
Bicknell
Missouri:
Illinois:
in Sisyrinchium
347
St. Louis
Hancock
Moffat.
: Tippecanoe
Co., A H. Young.
Cass Co., C. F. Wheeler;
Jackson Co., C. F.
Michigan:
Wheeler, S. H. & D. R. Camp ; Ingham Co., C. F. Wheeler ;
Livingston Co., C. F. Wheeler, Belle Isle, Detroit River, O. A.
Indiana
Keeweenaw
Co., O. A. Farwell.
Farwell;
It is difficult to frame an exact definition of this plant from
present material which, while fully attesting the distinctness of the
species from the old S. angustifolium and the more nearly related
S. campestre, appears to point to a still further problem in segrega?
In appearance the plant is
tion while not permitting its solution.
similar to vS. angustifolium or, in its more slender forms, to 5.
campestre but differs from both in its uniformly twin spathes and
from the former in mostly white or pale blue flowers and smaller
fruit.
The type locality for the species is West Kentucky and speci?
mens from this general region have been more particularly held in
So far as specimens and notes
view in the foregoing description.
plant is here uniformly white-flowered.
from prairies near Chicago have large very pale blue
Specimens
flowers and unusually long bracts, which on a few of the plants
on
labels
indicate
the
Contrasting
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348
Bicknell
: Studies
in Sisyrinchium
leaves from .75-1.5 mm. wide, the spathes abruptly broader than
the stems and with the outer bracts unusually slender and elon?
Some of
gated ; the blue flowers are rather small and delicate.
these specimens seem to be scarcely if at all glaucous and with
thinner leaves and bracts than other forms ; the stems are mostly
only narrowly winged.
Sisyrinchium
heterocarpum
sp. nov.
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: Studies
Bicknell
character
in the genus
349
in Sisyrinchium
by a single specimen
It is
be referred to an abnormal condition.
and
were it shown
collected
at
normal stems, but in the latter case although enclosed by the same
outer leaves as the stem they nevertheless belong to an inner tuft
of leaves which arises from a separate point of the axis.
plants show no indications of these radical flowers and
The
from 5. angustifolium.
then with difficulty separable
this.
no
than
with
other
to
need
species
comparison
plant appears
Some
are
transversely corrugate.
The
worthy character.
The
thickened
than
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