Montane.  Meadows, openings.  Summer.
Haviland Lake, June 17, 2009.

Blue-eyed Grass is a delicate plant hard to find in grasses that it blends into, but the robust cluster of plants shown at left, sprouting from spreading roots, was very easy to spot. Flowers are blue to blue-purple.  The dark area beneath each flower is a "spathe", a large, leaf-like bract that encloses the flower bud and then subtends and surrounds the flower on one side once the flower opens.

Various species of Sisyrinchium are found throughout the United States; Sisyrinchium montanum is found through the Rocky Mountain states and across the northern United States into New England.

Linnaeus named this genus in 1753.  "Sisyrinchium" is an ancient Greek name for an Iris-like plant.  Edward Greene named the Sisyrinchium montanum species.

Montane.  Meadows, openings.  Summer.
Haviland Lake Trail, June 28, 2004 and June 17, 2009.

The long, leaf-like vertical projection to the right side of the flower in the bottom photograph is the spathe.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Sisyrinchium montanum