Herbs, perennial, cespitose, green to ashy olive when dry, to 4.5 dm, not glaucous; rhizomes scarcely discernable. Stems simple, obviously winged, 1–2.5 mm wide, glabrous, margins entire to denticulate apically, similar in color and texture to stem body. Leaf-blades glabrous, bases not persistent in fibrous tufts. Inflorescences borne singly; spathes usually green, glabrous, keels entire to denticulate; outer 14–55 (–65) mm, 13–16 mm longer than inner, basally connate 2.6–7 mm, tapering evenly towards apex; inner with keel evenly curved to straight, hyaline margins 0.1–0.5 mm wide, apex acuminate to acute, ending 0.5–2.1 mm proximal to green apex. Flowers: tepals light to deep bluish violet or occasionally purple, bases yellow; outer tepals 8–20 mm, apex rounded, truncate, or emarginate, aristate; filaments connate ± entirely, stipitate-glandular basally; ovary similar in color to foliage. Capsules beige to light or dark-brown, occasionally with purple blotches on apex, ± globose to pyriform, 3–6 mm; pedicel erect to ascending. Seeds globose to obconic, lacking obvious depression, 0.8–1.8 mm, usually granular.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

w North America

Discussion

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Sisyrinchium idahoense var. idahoense, Sisyrinchium idahoense var. macounii, Sisyrinchium idahoense var. occidentale, Sisyrinchium idahoense var. segetum

Key

1	Stems less than 1.5 mm wide.	> 2
1	Stems 1.5 mm or more wide.	> 3
2	Outer tepals 18–20 mm; outer spathe at least 2 times inner; margins of stem and keels of spathes entire.	Sisyrinchium idahoense var. macounii
2	Outer tepals 10–17 mm; outer spathe less than 2 times inner; margins of stem and keels of spathes denticulate.	Sisyrinchium idahoense var. segetum
3	Outer tepals 8–13 mm; inner spathe 12–20 mm; stem 1.5–2 mm wide.	Sisyrinchium idahoense var. occidentale
3	Outer tepals 13–17(–20) mm; inner spathe 20–30 mm; stem 2–2.5 mm wide.	Sisyrinchium idahoense var. idahoense