Olsynium is a genus of herbaceous plants, perennials, bulbs and turf belonging to the family Iridaceae. The genus includes 15 species, of which only one is native to western North America and the rest are distributed in South America to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. The species of this genus have been frequently included in the related genus Sisyrinchium.
Description
Are perennials, herbaceous, bulbous, caespitose growth habit, which reach up to 1-4 cm tall. They have linear leaves 4-30 cm long and 1-3 mm wide. The flowers are small, less than 1 cm in diameter, is shaped like a bell, are actinomorphic, with six tepals purple or magenta, occasionally pink or white.
The three stamens are arranged symmetrically with their filaments connate to half its length. The ovary is inferior, the style has three filiform and short branches that extend between the anthers.
The flowers are arranged in inflorescences of 1-5 flowers, protected by two spathes green, leafy, subequal with the apex generally acute. The fruit is a capsule globose or ovoid and very angular brown seeds.
The plants of this genus vegetate in autumn and winter, bloom in spring and remain at rest during the summer. If they are grown from seed, they can begin to flourish in the first year. In Chile they are known as “Huilmo.”
Source: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olsynium
See Also: International Flower Delivery, Florist