Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium biforme)
Winking at the sky
one blue eye acknowledges
unexpected spring
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Lagniappe 
This takes my breath away……
Isn’t it a lovely thing? The blue-eyed grasses actually belong to the iris family; it’s their grass-like leaves that helped bring about the common name. They’re small, but there’s nothing common about them.
Not small is the number of species in the United States, some three dozen.
And I met quite a few of them while I was trying to identify this one. I was surprised to discover there’s a white blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium albidum), and I was even more surprised to discover I have photos of two versions: one plain white, and one with a purple ring around its yellow center.
It’s always exciting to find a species flowering out of its “normal” season. Maybe it’s time to quote the old witticism that plants don’t read field guides.
They certainly don’t. I have a feeling that, even if they did, they’d still do as they pleased — which pleases me, and probably thee.
Beautiful image – this flower looks more lovely closed, it emphasizes the petal edges. I’ve never seen one bloom in the fall in the northeast.
I especially like the design of those edges. When the flowers are open, they’re of course not so noticeable. Yesterday, I found a couple of patches of one of our early spring flowers — pink evening primrose — in bloom. I suspect our plentiful rains and warm temperatures brought them out.
The way the edges combine is really attractive. I’ve noticed and admired those edges in an open blue-eyed grass, but this composition is special.
Blue-eyed grass sees
eye-to-eye
With blue-eyed sky
on the vernal question
I love the little prongs on those delicate blue petals. My kind of grass.
If grass and sky can see eye to eye,
there might yet be hope for you and I.
I like the shape of the petals, too. I finally figured out that the flower was reminding me of frosting flowers on a fancy cake: the only place prior to blue-eyed grass that I’d seen that sort of design.
It’s really dreamy and delicate. Was it shot with f/ 2.8? This one I read is called ‘wiry’ blue-eyed grass, while sisyrinchium angustifoliumis is called ‘narrow-leaf blue-eyed-grass’ and is the one native to Florida.
I was using my 18-135mm lens, and had it set at Av f/5.6. As Steve noted, there are about three dozen species in the U.S., and I’m sure I read somewhere that a dozen of those native species can be found in Texas. I do love the less obvious members of the iris family, like this one, and also Herbertia lahue, commonly known as just Herbertia.
Herbetia lahue reminds me a lot of Trimezia.
It’s interesting how closely the Trimezia resembles our pleat-leaf, or prairie iris: Alophia drummondii. I’ve never seen one, but I know where to look for them now, so maybe next spring I’ll manage it.
Trimezia was very common in P.R.., although it was used for ornamental purposes. I never found out whether it naturalized or not. P.R. was such a botanical melting pot, simply because of the weather. However, a Yale study said that this exotic biodiversity never harmed the island, which is odd because in other islands it can be disruptive.
Tis a lovely flower here.. I look forward to seeing this blue eyed lady in the spring. Your photo here does justice to its beauty. Very nice photo, Linda.
Thank you, Yvonne. I enjoy photographing buds and incompletely unfurled flowers, so this was a real treat. It wasn’t nearly as exciting as yesterday’s find, though — monarch caterpillars in the wild. It’s the first time I’ve found any, and yes, there will be a photo or two.
The monarch butterflies are thick here now. I was counting them at work on Thursday, and even with my divided attention I was counting 30 or so each hour. I saw lots of them yesterday, too. Apparently the migration’s a little late because of the weather, but it’s on.
California Blue Eyed Grass grew in the Sierra foothills of my youth, Linda. I have also found it in mountain meadows, a quite pretty plant. –Curt
When it’s thick as a carpet, it can be quite a sight. The most impressive display I’ve ever seen actually was along a Farm to Market road a couple of years ago. For whatever reason, it had set up shop there, and stretched for a couple of miles, spreading from the road to the fenceline. I never did get a decent photo — lack of skill and probably lack of the right lens for the sort of photo that appears in magazines — but I still remember it: probably as clearly as you remember your own from those foothills.
I’ve been reviewing my photos from the trip this summer and also came across some I had forgotten I had photographed. It can grow up quite high in the mountains, Linda. A versatile plant. I can never capture fields of flowers the same way I can capture individual flowers. But I keep trying. :) There were some incredible flower gardens. –Curt
You know I’ll be looking forward to whatever you have to share. I suspect you have enough material for quite a number of posts. And isn’t it funny how quickly we forget what we’ve photographed — or even written? Every now and then I do a quick run through my folders, just to remind myself of where I’ve been — and what I still haven’t shown, despite all my good intentions.
I’ve found that blogging makes an excellent ‘journal,’ Linda. –Curt
What a lovely shot is all I can say. I like the narrow DOF.
I suspect you like the blue color, too; I seem to recall you have a fondness for blue. I do like the soft focus, and the way the petals’ edges are emphasized. I’m happy it appeals to you.
We have them coming up each year. They are very charming and seem to multiply on heir own accord.
They will spread very nicely if they’re left to reseed on their own. In a garden, the plants can be divided and the rhizomes replanted in a new spot. If I had a meadow, I’d add them in a minute. Your description of them as ‘charming’ is just right.
Beautiful! An amazing find for this time of year.
It was a surprise, for sure. On the other hand, yesterday I found a few pink evening primroses. Flowers are going to do as they please.
There will be changes soon enough. The monarchs are thick now, in the midst of their migration, and yesterday I spotted the first coots I’ve seen this year. Once the coots have arrived en masse, it will be the end of primroses and blue-eyed grass.
What a beauty — and your Haiku is perfect! Thank you, Linda, for a day-brightener. We’re suffering stiff winds again today, yanking the leaves off before their time and swirling them around the neighborhood. I’m afraid there will be little to photograph if I don’t get out and start clicking!
It’s the time of year when dallying even for a day can mean a big difference in what the landscape looks like. When I passed by one of my favorite little fields (only an odd bit of land between two highways) two weeks ago, there wasn’t much except goldenrod. This weekend, I discovered a whole crop of Maximilian sunflowers had appeared, bloomed, and were on their way out. I’m glad I got there when I did. We have a front on the way for Wednesday/Thursday, and it may even be your weather coming south. They’re predicting hail and strong winds, so I suspect the sunflowers may be flattened by next weekend.
Enjoy what you have left. I’m happy as can be that my little flower added some brightness to your day!
Beautiful! a really lovely photo, and the haiku nails it! I’ve never seen one, and thought it might be a south-of-the-Pecos specials, but I looked at the USDA map, and it grows all the way up into Canada! it hasn’t blessed NY but grows in Wisconsin, so I’ll be looking for it in the spring (the northern one that comes in April & May, not October! :) )
They’re such a beautiful flower, and an early bloomer. There are plenty of species, and various colors: a deeper blue, almost-purple, white, white with purple, and so on. I know there are some species that grow in New England but not down here, so you may have some other varieties, too. I think all of them have the characteristic yellow ‘eye’ that makes identification easier — you’re going to have a wonderful time seeking out all the spring beauties up there.
Heartwarming image and crisp, lucid lines! Love it!
Thanks, rethy. I was going to search out some of Emily’s lines to accompany the photo, but then I decided I liked mine better! I’m glad you enjoyed the combination, too.
Your lines are perfect for the brilliant photo, Linda!
Isn’t it fun, how sometimes the right lines will just appear, as if from “nowhere”? Sometimes haiku behave just like flowers.
Oh….utter perfection!xxx
Don’t you love a flower that brings a sigh of contentment? Sometimes I discover I’ve made an image I can look at again and again — this is one of them.
These were always my one of my childhood favorite – such a rare color that popped up so happily – like a little royal princess, And you didn’t get yelled at for picking them. Every child should have their own little vase for such
It sounds like they served the same purpose for you that violets did for us. Everyone filled May baskets with violets, or gave bouquets to their mother, just because. As you say, they were common enough that no one cared if we picked them — just like dandelions.
That’s a gorgeous portrait. I remember a Blue-eyed grass from back east, not sure which one, but I think are a number of them. All charming, I’m sure. I loved seeing that little flower.
There are lots of species, in a range of colors. The ones that fill the ditches here in spring tend to be the deeper blue, but there’s light blue, white, and a kind of lavender, too. Even though they aren’t very tall, if they’re thick enough they can cast a blue glow across the landscape.
The ones I’ve seen have been singles – that glow has to be a beautiful sight!
Oh Linda, I love the idea of blinking at the sky! Simple perfection!
Thank you, Jeanie. I wish I could make these little bits of verse appear on command, but when the arrive, it always makes me happy — just like this little flower did.