Sisyrinchium

Sisyrinchium is a large genus of annual to perennialflowering plants in the family Iridaceae. Native to the New World, the species are known as blue-eyed grasses. Although they are not true grasses (Poaceae), they are monocots.^[2]

Several species in the eastern United States are threatened or endangered. This may be due to niche species emerging from their unique tendency toward rapid speciation which helps them adapt to specialized arenic (sandy) habitats.^[3]

These are not true grasses, but many species have the general appearance of grasses, as they are low-growing plants with long, thin leaves. They often grow on grasslands. Many species resemble irises, to which they are more closely related. Most species grow as perennial plants, from a rhizome, though some are short-lived (e.g. Sisyrinchium striatum), and some are annuals (e.g. Sisyrinchium iridifolium).

The flowers are relatively simple and often grow in clusters.

Many species, particularly the South American ones, are not blue, despite the common name. The genus includes species with blue, white, yellow, and purple petals, often with a contrasting centre. Of the species in the United States, the Western Blue-eyed Grass(Sisyrinchium bellum) is sometimes found with white flowers, while the California Golden-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium californicum) has yellow flowers.

The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, based on the species Sisyrinchium bermudiana (commonly called Bermudiana). The taxonomy of this genus is rather perplexing and confusing, as several of these species, such as Sisyrinchium angustifolium, form complexes with many variants named as species. More genetic research and cladistic analysis need to be performed to sort out the relationships between the species. Some species, notably Sisyrinchium douglasii, have been transferred to the separate genus Olsynium.

The greatest diversity for the genus is found in South America.^[4]

Aproximadamente un tercio de las especies del género poseen pelos productores de aceite llamados elaióforos para atraer a las abejas oleaginosas. Casi todas estas especies son nativas de Sudamérica. ^{[ 5 ]}

El nombre del género Sisyrinchium parece derivar de Sisyrinchíon , el nombre griego antiguo de la nuez de Berbería ( Moraea sisyrinchium ), una planta común del Mediterráneo del sur de Europa y el norte de África . El nombre griego, registrado por Plinio y Teofrasto , hace referencia a la forma en que las túnicas del cormo de esa planta se asemejan a un pelaje desgreñado de cabra , sisýra . ^{[ 6 ]} Como explican Goldblatt y Manning, "la razón para aplicar el nombre a un género de Iridaceae del Nuevo Mundo fue aparentemente arbitraria". ^{[ 7 ]}

Como alternativa, autores tan tempranos como Giacinto Ambrosini en 1666 ^{[ 8 ]} dan la dudosa etimología del latín sūs "cerdo" y el griego rhynchos "nariz", refiriéndose a los cerdos que desentierra las raíces.

En 2025 se reconocían 212 especies ., ^{[ 1 ]} incluyendo:

• 
  Hierba de ojos azules de las praderas ( Sisyrinchium campestre )
• 
  Hierba estricta de ojos azules ( Sisyrinchium montanum var. montanum )
• 
  Hierba de ojos azules de punta de aguja ( Sisyrinchium mucronatum )
• 
  Hierba de ojos azules de la llanura costera ( Sisyrinchium fuscatum )