It can be difficult to distinguish the different species of Blue-Eyed Grass. The white form of Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass (as illustrated in the above photograph) is quite similar to Sisyrinchium albidum (White Blue-Eyed Grass). Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass produces a single umbel of flowers from a single sessile spathe near the apex of a flowering stalk, while White Blue-Eyed Grass has two sessile spathes with separate umbels of flowers. Depending on the stage of development, from 1-2 bracts of the spathe will be observable while Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass is blooming, while White Blue-Eyed Grass will have 2-4 observable bracts of the spathe(s). The remaining bracts have not separated from the taller leafy bract at the apex of the stalk at the time of bloom, therefore they remain hidden. When Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass has pale blue to blue-violet flowers, it can be confused with other Sisyrinchium spp. Generally, Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass has more slender leaves and flowering stalks than these other species, and its spathes are always sessile (they never develop on long secondary stalks). The common name for this genus, Blue-Eyed Grass, is something of a misnomer because the flowers, whether white or blue, have yellow centers.

This native perennial plant is ½–1' tall, forming a a tuft of linear basal leaves. These leaves have smooth margins and a longitudinal ridge running along their length. Among the leaves are narrowly winged stalks that individually terminate in a leafy bract and a small umbel of flowers. The flowers and their buds develop from a single sessile spathe that has a pair of short bracts, although only the outer bract may be evident while the flowers are blooming. These bracts of the spathe are shorter than the leafy bract, and they are often reddish green to yellowish brown in color. The flower buds are hairy and nod on their pedicels, which become more erect when the flowers bloom. These flowers are white, light blue, or blue-violet, and span up to ½" across. They consist of 3 petals and 3 sepals (which look like the petals), and a yellow spike-like structure in the center that contains the reproductive parts. Toward the center of the flower, the petals and sepals are yellow; away from the center of the flower, they have tiny pointed tips. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, and lasts about 3 weeks. There is no noticeable floral scent. The ovoid seed capsules become dark as they mature; eventually, they split open at the top into several sections to release the small dark seeds. These seeds are small enough to be dispersed a limited distance by gusts of wind. The root system is coarsely fibrous, and new plants can develop vegetatively from adjacent offsets.

Sisyrinchium kansanum (E.P. Bicknell) Alexander:
United States (North America)

Sisyrinchium campestre E.P. Bicknell:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Canada

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass occurs primarily in western and northern Illinois, where it is fairly uncommon; in other parts of the state, this plant is rare or absent. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, loess hill prairies, savannas, limestone glades, sandy meadows in wooded areas, abandoned fields, and areas along railroads. This plant is usually found in high quality habitats.

Herbs, perennial, cespitose, light green to olive or ashy olive, sometimes with purplish base when dry, to 4 dm, not glaucous. Stems simple, 1.2–2.5 mm wide, glabrous or scabrous, margins usually entire, similar in color and texture to stem body. Leaf blades usually glabrous, bases occasionally becoming fibrous but not persistent in tufts. Inflorescences borne singly; spathes green to purplish, glabrous or scabrous, keels usually entire; outer 22–50 mm, 10–32 mm longer than inner, tapering evenly towards apex or occasionally slightly constricted proximal to apex, margins distinct or rarely connate basally to 1 mm; inner with keel usually gibbous, hyaline margins 0.1–0.3 mm wide, apex acuminate to acute, ending 0.4–3.5 mm proximal to green apex. Flowers: tepals white to pale blue, bases yellow; outer tepals 7–12.7 mm, apex rounded to emarginate, aristate; filaments connate ± entirely, stipitate-glandular basally; ovary similar in color to foliage. Capsules light to dark brown, globose, 3–5 mm; pedicel spreading to ascending. Seeds globose to obconic, lacking obvious depression, 0.5–1 mm, granular to rugulose. 2n = 32.

Sisyrinchium campestre var. kansanum E. P. Bicknell; S. flaviflorum E. P. Bicknell; S. kansanum (E. P. Bicknell) Alexander

Flowering spring--early summer. Prairies, meadows, roadsides; 20--500 m; Man.; Ark., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., La., Mich., Minn., Mo., Nebr., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Wis.

Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass occurs primarily in western and northern Illinois, where it is fairly uncommon; in other parts of the state, this plant is rare or absent. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, loess hill prairies, savannas, limestone glades, sandy meadows in wooded areas, abandoned fields, and areas along railroads. This plant is usually found in high quality habitats.

Sisyrinchium campestre (Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass)
(Insect activity is unspecified; observations are from Reed)

Bees (short-tongued)
Halictidae (Halictinae): Lasioglossum pictus, Lasioglossum pilosus, Lasioglossum paraforbesii; Colletidae (Hylaeinae): Hylaeus affinis

Flies
Syrphidae: Sphaerophoria sp.

Primarily Green Metallic bees and other Halictid bees visit the flowers, where they seek nectar or pollen. Some long-tongued bees and bee flies occasionally visit the flowers, while Syrphid flies feed primarily on stray pollen. The Wild Turkey and Greater Prairie Chicken eat the seeds or foliage to a limited extent.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Species: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

The preference is full sun and mesic to dry conditions. The soil can contain significant amounts of loam, rocky material, or sand. This species of Blue-Eyed Grass is more drought-resistant than most of the others. Foliar disease is rarely a problem. This plant can slowly spread by forming larger clumps, but it is not aggressive.