Sisyrinchium
(an old Greek name, used by Theophrastus for the Iris). Blue-eyed Grass; Pig Root; Rush Lily; Satin Flower. SYN. Souza. Some of the plants included here were formerly placed under Bobartia. ORD. Irideae. A genus comprising about fifty species of mostly hardy or half-hardy perennials, with fibrous roots; all are natives of tropical or extra-tropical America, and one has become naturalised in Ireland. Flowers many in a spathe, pedicellate; perianth with scarcely any tube, and sub-equal, obovate or oblong lobes; stamens affixed at the base of the perianth. Leaves radical or clustered at the base of the stem, linear-terete or more or less ensiform, always narrow; cauline ones few or none. Stems equal or slightly thickened at base. A selection of the species best known in gardens is given below. All thrive in a compost of sandy loam and leaf mould. Propagation may be effected by seeds, or by offsets, in spring.
S. anceps (two-headed). A synonym of S. angustifolium. S. angustifolium (narrow-leaved). fl. of a paler blue than in S. Bermudiana. l. narrower, and whole plant smaller. Eastern United States (naturalised in New Zealand and Australia, also in Ireland). SYNS. S. anceps, S. gramineum (B. M. 464).
S. Bermudiana (Bermudan). This differs from S. angustifolium in being much larger in all its parts, and strikingly so in its broad leaves, which are equitant at the base. h. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. Bermudas. SYN. S. iridioides (B. M. 94).
S. californicum (Californian). fl. many in succession, scentless; perianth of a uniform yellow, explanate, the segments obovate-oblong, obtuse; anthers orange-coloured; fascicle many-flowered; scape quite simple, longer than the leaves, curved. Autumn. l. several, distichous, 1ft. to nearly 2ft. high, about 1/2in. broad, linear-ensiform. California, 1796. Half-hardy. SYN. Marica californica (B. M. 983).
S. chilense (Chilian). fl., perianth purple, yellow at the base, three to five lines long; bracts leaf-like; spathe linear, acuminate, about three-flowered; peduncles flexuous, very slender, 1in. to 1 1/4in. long. July. l., radical ones linear-ensiform, striated, 3in. to 12in. long, one to two lines broad. Stem 6in. to 12in. high, flexuous. Brazil, &c., 1826. Half-hardy. (B. M. 2786.) S. Douglasii (Douglas'). A synonym of S. grandiflorum. S. filifolium (thread-leaved).* fl. campanulate, erect; perianth white, like porcelain, each segment delicately lined with pale purplish-red. May. h. 6in. to 8in. Falkland Islands, 1885. Plant of Rush-like habit. (B M. 6829; G. C. n.s., xxiii. p. 696.) S. gramineum (grass-like). A synonym of S. angustifolium. S. graminifolium (grass-leaved). fl. slightly exserted above the spathe; perianth yellow, the segments obovate, mucronate; spathes terminal, few or many-flowered, the outer one leafy, 1 1/3in. long, the inner 1in. long. April. l., radical ones 8in. long, scabrous on the margins, acuminate, sheathing at base; cauline ones 3in. to 6in. long. Stem branched, erect, 7in. to 9in. high. Chili, 1825. Half-hardy. (B. R. 1067.) S. g. ascendens (ascending). fl., spathes very hairy, equal. l., radical ones 4in. to 6in. long; cauline ones 2in. to 3in. long, alternate. Stem 5in. to 9in. high. (B. R. 1914, under name of S. g. pumilum.) S. g. maculatum (spotted). fl., perianth segments marked with dark blood-coloured spots. (B. M. 3197, under name of S. maculatum.) S. grandiflorum (large-flowered).* Spring Bell. fl., perianth dark purple, striated, the segments obcordate, unguiculate, eight to ten lines long; spathe two-flowered, erect, leafy, terminal, two-valved. May. l. erect, broadly linear, spreading, striated, 6in. to 8in. long, sheathing at base. Stem 8in. to 10in. long, quite simple. Root creeping. North America, 1826. A pretty hardy plant.(B. M. 3509; B. R. 1364; G. C. n. s., xxi. p. 216; R. H. 1868, p. 190; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 388.) SYN. S. Douglasii (F. d. S. 146). There is a variety of this with white flowers.
S. iridifolium (Iris-leaved).* fl. on slender pedicels, pubescent beneath; perianth yellowish-white, the segments about 1/2in. long, cuneate-ligulate, slightly mucronate; spathes terminal, the outer one 1 1/2in., the inner 1in., long, carinate; peduncles geniculate. June. l. linear-ensiform, incurved at apex, scabrous-ciliated on the margins; radical ones 4in. to 8in. long; cauline ones 2in. to 4in. long. Stem branched, 4in. to 12in high. Brazil to Chili, 1822. Half-hardy. (L B. C. 1979.) SYNS. S. laxum (B. M. 2312), Marica iridifolia (B. R. 646).
S. iridioides (Iris-like). A synonym of S. Bermudiana. S. laxum (loose). A synonym of S. iridifolium.
S. lutescens (yellowish). A synonym of S. striatum.
S. micranthum (small-flowered). fl. three to ten, small, pedicellate; perianth yellow, 1/5in. long; spathes terminal, the outer one about 1in., the inner 1/2in., long. June. l. linear-ensiform, striated, glabrous; radical ones 1in. to 4in. long, one line broad; cauline one bract-like, 1in. long. Stem glabrous, one-leaved, simple, flexuous, 2in. to 9in. high. Mexico and Brazil, &c., 1815. Half-hardy. (B. M. 2116.) S. striatum (striated). fl. nine to twelve, spicate, alternate, exceeding the ovate, cuspidate spathe; perianth yellowish, the tube two lines, the segments seven lines, long; pedicels nearly equalling the spathe. June. l. glabrous; radical ones about 1ft. long, distichous, equitant, sheathing; cauline ones rather remote, amplexicaul. Stem 1ft. to 2ft. high, simple or branched. Chili, 1788. Hardy. SYNS. S. lutescens (L. B. C. 1870), Marica striata (B. M. 701). S. tenuifolium (slender-leaved). fl., perianth yellow, the segments oblong, acute; pedicels sparsely hairy, exceeding the spathe; spathe two-leaved, terminal, one or many-flowered. l. linear-ensiform, scabrous on the margins, acuminated, striated; radical ones 2 1/2in. to 9in. long; cauline ones 2in. to 4in. long. Stem ascending, simple or branched, 1 1/2in. to 12in. high. Mexico, 1816. Hardy. (B. M. 2117, 2313.)