Olsynium is a genus of summer-dormant rhizomatous perennial flowering plants in the iris family Iridaceae, native to sunny hillsides in South America and western North America.Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution mapDouglas, G.W., Meidinger, D. & Penny, J.L. (2002). Rare Native Vascular Plants of British Columbia, ed. 2: 1-358. Province of British Columbia.
Description Height is tall. Leaves are linear, long and broad.
Flowers are bell-shaped, with six white, pink, or lilac tepals, and bloom from late winter to spring.
Etymology The genus name is derived from the Greek words ol, meaning "a little", and syn-, meaning "joined", referring to the stamens., in
Taxonomy The taxon Olsynium was formerly considered as part of the genus Sisyrinchium. The following species are recognised in the genus Olsynium:Search for "Olsynium", Image Scientific name Distribution Olsynium acaule (Klatt) Goldblatt Peru, Bolivia, northwestern Argentina Olsynium andinum (Phil.) Ravenna central Chile, Neuquén Province in Argentina Olsynium biflorum (Thunb.) Goldblatt Santa Cruz + Tierra del Fuego Provinces in southern Argentina Olsynium bodenbenderi (Kurtz) Goldblatt Mendoza Province in Argentina Olsynium chrysochromum J.M.Watson & A.R.Flores central Chile Olsynium douglasii (A.Dietr.) E.P.Bicknell British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, extreme northern California, Idaho, northern Nevada, northwestern Utah Olsynium filifolium (Gaudich.) Goldblatt southern Argentina, Falkland Islands Olsynium junceum (E.Mey. ex C.Presl) Goldblatt Bolivia, Argentina, Chile Olsynium lyckholmii (Dusén) Goldblatt central Chile, southern Argentina Olsynium nigricans (Phil.) R.A.Rodr. & Martic. Maule Province in Chile Olsynium obscurum (Cav.) Goldblatt southern Chile, Tierra del Fuego Province in Argentina Olsynium philippii (Klatt) Goldblatt central Chile Olsynium porphyreum (Kraenzl.) Ravenna Peru Olsynium scirpoideum (Poepp.) Goldblatt central + northern Chile, Rio Negro Province in Argentina Olsynium stoloniferum Ravenna O'Higgins Province in Chile Olsynium trinerve (Baker) R.A.Rodr. & Martic. Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile Olsynium villosum Ravenna Santiago Province in Chile
References
External links Flora of North America Pacific Bulb Society Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan.