Hitchcock’s blue-eyed grass – State Wildlife Action Plan

Hitchcock’s blue-eyed grass is a rhizomatous perennial herb with 1-3 erect to ascending, mostly unbranched stems. Leaves are shorter than the stems, lax to ascending or strict, and 3-4 mm wide with smooth to finely denticulate margins. Inflorescences are terminal on the stem or pedunculate, with outer bracts longer than inner bracts. There are 2-7 flowers on stout, glabrous pedicels that slightly exceed the inner bracts. The perianth is 14-17mm long, a dark reddish-purple (rarely bluish violet), tips truncate or notched, lacking or infrequently with a yellow eye at the inner base of the corolla. The filament column is 6-9 mm long and purple with glandular hairs at the base of the connate filaments. Anthers are yellow-orange 1.5-2.8 mm long. Fruits are globose capsules 6-7mm long, beige to light brown. Seeds are globose, wrinkled and lacking obvious depressions.

Overview

Species Common Name Hitchcock's blue-eyed grass
Species Scientific Name Sisyrinchium hitchcockii
Federal Listing Status Species of Concern
State Listing Status Endangered

Ecoregions

Klamath Mountains

The Klamath Mountains ecoregion covers much of southwestern Oregon, including the Klamath Mountains, Siskiyou Mountains, the interior valleys and foothills between these and the Cascade Range, and the Rogue and Umpqua river valleys. Several popular and scenic rivers run through the ecoregion, including the Umpqua, Rogue, Illinois, and Applegate rivers. Historically, this ecoregion is known …

Willamette Valley

The Willamette Valley ecoregion is bounded on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. This long mostly level alluvial plain has some scattered areas of low basalt, and contrasts with productive farmland and large urban areas. It has the fastest-growing human population in the state resulting in challenges due to land-use changes.

Special needs

Hitchcock’s blue-eyed grass occurs in Willamette Valley grassland and oak savannas and wet prairies. Habitat includes meadows or grasslands that are dry in summer and saturated in winter and spring. Can also occur in roadside seeps.

Limiting factors

Most populations of this species occur in areas of the state experiencing a high rate of residential development. The main threat is wet prairie habitat loss due to habitat conversion. Mowing and herbicide use may further fragment populations and degrade habitat. Invasive species and issues related to small population size also pose a threat.

Data gaps

Assess genetic diversity and potential hybridization with S. idahoense v. idahoense. Determine germination and propagation requirements. Survey potential habitat within the range of the species.

Conservation actions

Monitor existing populations. Protect existing habitat. Limit habitat modifications such as mowing and herbicide applications where possible. Collect and bank seed as insurance against local extirpation or extinction and to use in ex-situ research. Conduct ex-situ seed/plug production for introduction and augmentation efforts.

Key reference or plan

Marshall, DA, and J Brown. 2023. 2023 listing status assessment for Sisyrinchium hitchcockii (Hitchcock’s blue-eyed grass). Oregon Department of Agriculture, Salem, Oregon.