Sisyrinchium atlanticum

SIMILAR SPECIES: Sisyrinchium atlanticum is somewhat similar to the more common Sisyrinchium angustifolium, but can be distinguished by the following characters: S. atlanticum - stems and leaves glaucous, stems slender and narrowly winged, peduncles slender; S. angustifolium - stems and leaves green, stems and peduncles broadly winged.

TOTAL RANGE: FL to MS, n. to w. N.S., s. ME, s.-cent. NH, VT, and se. NY, and in the interior n. to OH, s. MI, IN, and IL.

STATE RANGE: There is a post-1960 record from Lucas County. Pre-1960 records exist from Ross and Stark counties.

STATE STATUS: 1980 to present: Endangered.

HABITAT: A variety of open situations: damp to dry meadows, fields, swales, marshes, and low open woods.

HAZARDS: Overshading by woody species as a result of succession.

RECOVERY POTENTIAL: Presumed not good. This species apparently occurs only in scattered local populations (Deam, 1940).

INVENTORY GUIDELINES: Mature flowering or fruiting material is needed for identification. Note the color of the spathes.

COMMENTS: This species may have been overlooked due to its habit of occurring in scattered local populations. It also may be misidentified.

Longstanding taxonomic and nomenclatural difficulties with this genus are clarified by Ward (1968).

SELECTED REFERENCES:

Braun, E.L. 1967. The Monocotyledoneae of Ohio : Cat-tails to orchids. The Ohio State University Press, Columbus, OH. 464 p.

Deam, C.C. 1940. Authorized reprint 1970. Flora of Indiana. Verlag Von J. Cramer, S-H Service Agency, New York, NY. 1236 p.

Voss, E.G. 1972. Michigan flora, Part I, Gymnosperms and monocots. Cranbrook Inst. of Sci. Bull. 55, Bloomfield Hills, MI. 488 p.

Ward, D.B. 1968. The nomenclature of Sisyrinchium bermudiana and related North American species. Taxon 17: 270-276.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Natural Areas and Preserves

Created: 2/1984 James F. Burns

Database Code: SPGX.J92