Flower ID: IMG_0473.JPG-05-22-2017 Flower name (scientific): Sisyrinchium campestre E. P. Bicknell PY: 1899. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) sis-ee-RINK-ee-um kam-PES-tray Flower name (common): Prairie Blue-eyed Grass Family name (common): Iris Family name (scientific): Iridaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: The Greek Theophrastus' name for an iris. An alternative and more modern etymology is that the name comes from the Greek sys (sūs) for pig and rhynchos for snout; pigs dig for the sweet tubers. Specific epithet: From the Latin for on or of the open plain or field. Common name origin: From the common habitat, the typical flower color, and the grass-like appearance of the leaves. Flower description: Size: 0.4 to 0.8 inches (1.0 to 2.0 cm) Petal count: 6 Color: Pale blue, white less common. Other: flower arrangement, Raceme Plant description: Size: 4 to 16 inches (10 to 41 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is basal, type is simple Size: Leaves up to 25 cm long and 2 to 3 mm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, linear Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): May to July Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Meadows, prairies, open woods, sun, dry to moist. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): The Sisyrinchium species can be difficult to positively ID and require attention to detail. The white colored form of Sisyrinchium campestre resembles Sisyrinchium albidum (White Blue-Eyed Grass), but it should be noted that this latter species can have either white or blue flowers. The presence of an extra (third) leaf-like bract can aid in the identification of S. albidum; S. campestre has only two spathe-like bracts. Sisyrinchium angustifolium (Narrow-leaved Blue-eyed Grass), a species of special concern in Wisconsin, has inflorescences borne on secondary stalks, whereas S. campestre has only one unstalked inflorescence at the apex of each unbranched stem. Sisyrinchium mucronatum (Needle-tip Blue-eyed Grass) has a very limited geographic distribution in Wisconsin with relaively few reported observations, and can be distinguished from S. campestre by its barely winged stems, whereas the latter has distinctly winged stems. Sisyrinchium montanum (Mountain Blue-eyed Grass) has spathes (sheaths) that are green to bronze in color and connected at the base, whereas S. campestre has green to purplish spathes not connected at the bottom. Ethnobotany: The Meskwaki prepared a tea by boiling the whole plant, and used the tea as a remedy for hay fever (Smith, p. 224, 1928). The Menominee employed this plant and another in the same genus as a snake repellent (Smith, p. 38, 1923). Latitude: 44.795467 Longitude: -91.513865 Altitude: 243.70 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Barron, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Marathon, Marquette, Monroe, Oconto, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AR, IA, IL, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, NE, NM, OK, SD, TX, WI) In Canada: (MB) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na