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.
Description
Height is 10–40 centimetres (4–16 in) tall. Leaves are linear, 4–30 centimetres (1.6–11.8 in) long and 1–3 millimetres (0.04–0.12 in) 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.
Taxonomy
The taxon Olsynium was formerly considered as part of the genus Sisyrinchium. The following species are recognised in the genus 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...
