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Synonyms: Sisyrinchium exile E.P.Bicknell APNI*
Sisyrinchium sp. A sensu James & Brown (1993) APNI*
Sisyrinchium sp. A APNI*

Description: Tufted annual herb, 5–20 cm high; stems simple or branched, slightly compressed, winged.

Leaves linear, 2–7 cm long, 1–3 mm wide; spathe bracts lanceolate, subequal, 1.5–3 cm long, apex acuminate, margins scarious, white.

Perianth c. 7.5 mm long, 5–7 mm diam., more or less globose near the base, with tepals spreading at the apex, either pale yellow with brown-purple markings in centre, externally with median purplish markings, or pinkish to pale lavender or mauve with a yellowish throat and darker purplish markings, pubescent below; lobes oblong-acuminate. Ovary c. 1 mm diam., minutely hairy.

Capsule globose, 2–4 mm diam., glabrous, green to reddish; seeds globose, c. 0.7 mm diam., wrinkled, black.

Habitat Photo J.Plaza

Habit Photo W. Cherry

Flower Photo W. Cherry

Flowering: October–December

Distribution and occurrence: Widely naturalised in NSW, including LHI. Native of South America (southern Brazil to Argentina); also introduced in many areas, including Norfolk Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Fiji, Easter Island, North America, Java, New Guinea, China, Japan, India, Madagascar, France, Italy.

Usually grows in disturbed areas (even in its native regions).
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *NWP, *SWP, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *W.A.

AVH map***

This has a flower that is strongly convex in outline near the base, with tepals spreading at the apex and in a range of colours from pink to lavender to yellow. Sometimes separated into two species: S. exile, with yellow tepals, and S. rosulatum, with whitish or bluish purple tepals and generally larger in all parts than the former. However, these differences may only be minor variants and this is treated as a single variable taxon pending further study. Reported to be toxic to stock.