Sisyrinchium californicum
in W. Aiton and W. T. Aiton, Hortus Kew. 4: 135. 1812.
Herbs, perennial, cespitose, dark-brown to black when dry, to 6.2 dm, not glaucous. Stems simple, 2–6.8 mm wide, glabrous, margins entire, similar in color and texture to stem body. Leaf-blades glabrous, bases not persistent in fibrous tufts. Inflorescences borne singly; spathes mostly greenish, glabrous, keels entire; outer 13–53 mm, 2.2–9 mm longer than inner, tapering evenly towards apex, margins basally connate 3–8 mm; inner with keel straight to evenly curved, hyaline margins 0.5–1 mm, apex usually rounded, occasionally erose, ending 0.2–1 mm proximal to green apex. Flowers: tepals medium to bright-yellow with brownish veins; outer tepals 12–18 mm, apex rounded or acute, aristate; filaments ± distinct, glabrous; ovary similar in color to foliage. Capsules dark-brown to black, broadly fusiform or slightly turbinate, 6–13 mm; pedicel erect to ascending. Seeds hemispherical, with shallow depression on flattened side, 0.7–1.5 mm, rugulose. 2n = 32, 34, 36.
Phenology: Flowering spring–late summer.
Habitat: Moist areas near coast
Elevation: 0–700 m
Distribution
B.C., Calif., Oreg., Wash.
Discussion
Selected References
None.