Roadside Blue-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium pruinosum
Despite its name and grass-like leaves, this plant is actually a member of the Iris family, closely related to gladiolus and crocuses.
- Scientific name
- Sisyrinchium pruinosum
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Asparagales › Iridaceae › Sisyrinchium
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Open prairies, meadows, pastures, and grassy roadsides with moist sandy or clay soils.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis via sunlight, water, and soil minerals)
- Range
- Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas
- Size
- 15 to 40 cm tall
- Lifespan
- Perennial (typically lives 3-5+ years, regrowing from roots each spring)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat destruction, urban sprawl, and premature mowing of roadsides before the plant can set seed.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. You can safely approach and photograph this plant at any distance. Avoid trampling the delicate blooms, and do not pick them, as they wilt quickly once severed from their roots.
Sisyrinchium pruinosum , the dotted blue-eyed grass , is a perennial plant in the Iridaceae family, native to the south-central United States. There are also reports of the plant in California, but these appear to represent naturalizations. It is sometimes considered to be a synonym of Sisyrinchium langloisii .
Photo: Sam Kieschnick, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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