Blue-Eyed Grasses NS General Status Rank: Secure Elliott’s Goldenrod HERBS : NON-WOODY Range opulation P 29 Sisyrinchium spp. HERBS : NON-WOODY PLANTS latissimifolia 30 POPULATION POPULATION RANGE RANGE

Flowering: May - July Distribution: NS Flowering: August - September

SIZE: 10-50 cm tall. SIZE: 40-150 cm tall. LEAVES: Long, narrow (linear), grass- LEAVES: Elliptical or lance-shaped with like, 1-3 mm wide and arise from the a rounded base, 6-15 cm long, and 1.5- bottom of the (basal). Modified 3.5 cm wide, with many veins. The leaf leaves (bracts) are found at the top of edges are smooth or serrated. They are the plant; the flower stalk arises from alternately arranged on the stem and the base of these leaves where it joins have very short or absent leaf stalks. The with the stem. leaves at the base of the plant (basal) STEM: Wiry (thin and flexible), and lower leaves wither before flowers flattened, forks at the top into 2-4 thin are produced. flowering stalks. Some stem features STEM: Smooth, erect and unbranched. differ between species (below). FLOWERS: Arranged in a 5-10 cm FLOWERS: Violet blue with yellow elongate and often downward-arching centers and a yellow spike in the branched cluster () at the middle. They have 6 petals with narrow top of the stem. The cluster contains a points at the tips and are surrounded large number of small yellow daisy-like by two leaves (spathe). flower heads that are 5-10 mm wide. FRUITS: Brown oval capsules, 4-7 mm Each head is composed of approximately wide, containing seeds. 10-20 miniature flowers or florets. NOTES: The 3 FRUITS: Dry, one seeded fruits ACPF Blue-Eyed (achenes), 1-2 mm long. This species is Grass species in in the same family as dandelions and NS cannot be produces similar fruits which are © SEAN BLANEY (ALL) distinguished by attached to long hairs that allow them to © JEROME D’EON the appearance easily be carried by wind. Flower Leafy of the flower stalk bract NOTES: alone. The former scientific name of this species is Solidago © USDA NRCS elliottii and that is where its © BRITTON AND BROWN (1913) Fruit capsules and seeds © MEGAN CROWLEY common name Eastern comes from. Two leaves Flower cluster Leaf Blue-Eyed Grass (spathe) that surround Basal leaves Sisyrinchium atlanticum Habitat: NS General Status Rank: Secure Coastal Plain © DANIELLE O’DELL, NCF the flowers Lakeshores, wet thickets, open or partially shaded wetlands such as maple Distribution: NS Blue-Eyed Grass Flower Eastern Stems narrowly winged, 0.5-2 mm Blue-Eyed Grass and spruce swamps. Habitat: wide. Leaves at the base dry to a light Coastal Plain Interesting point: Goldenrods have long been unfairly blamed for Damp peaty, gravelly, or sandy lakeshores, wetlands green and are not persistent. causing hayfever because many species bloom at the same time as Blue-Eyed Grass (marshes), fields, and estuaries. (Ambrosia spp.) which commonly causes allergic reactions in Pointed Sisyrinchium fuscatum Interesting point: Despite its name, this plant people with pollen allergies. NS General Status Rank: At Risk is not a grass. It is a member of the Iris family and Similar species: A total of 15 species in the Solidago genus are Blue-Eyed Grass Distribution: NS gets its name from its grass-like leaves. known to occur in NS. Rough Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa) most Sisyrinchium angustifolium Stems narrowly winged, 0.5-2 mm wide. Similar species: Common Blue-Eyed Grass resembles Elliott's Goldenrod but has a stem which is covered in hairs, NS General Status Rank: Secure Old leaves at the base are persistent (stay (Sisyrinchium montanum) is 10-50 cm tall with tends to be found in drier areas, and is more widely distributed. Canada Distribution: NS, NB, QC, ON attached to the plant), fibrous, and are a winged stems 1.5-3 mm wide. Unlike the other three Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) and Smooth Goldenrod (Solidago Stems flatter and broadly winged, 2.5-4 brown colour when dry. Typically in drier, species, the top of the stem is simple and not gigantea) are similar in size and appearance but both have upper stem mm wide. sandy habitats such as sand barrens. branched. Found in open areas and meadows. leaves that are narrower (<1.4 cm wide) with 3 veins. Rough Goldenrod Rough Goldenrod stem