Characters of the family as given above. [Greek name for some plant with 2-edged leaves.]

Besides the following species there are some 9 others in the southern United States. Type species: Xyris indica L.

Lateral sepals wingless, the keel fringed with short hairs.

1.

X.

flexuosa.

Lateral sepals winged, the keel erose, fimbriate or lacerate.

Plants not bulbous-thickened at the base; leaves flat or but slightly twisted.

Lateral sepals about as long as the bracts, included, their keels erose to lacerate.

Heads ovoid; bracts relatively few and in few series.

Leaves linear or tapering from the base to the apex.

Lateral sepals nearly entire; heads narrowly ovoid, acute during anthesis.

2.

X.

montana.

Lateral sepals toothed; heads broadly ovoid, obtuse.

3.

X.

caroliniana.

Leaves broadest at the middle.

4.

X.

communis.

Heads oblong or nearly cylindric; bracts numerous, in many series.

5.

X.

elata.

Lateral sepals longer than the bracts, exserted, their keels fimbriate or erose-lacerate.

Keels of the lateral sepals erose-lacerate; heads not plumose.

6.

X.

Congdoni.

Keels of the lateral sepals long-fimbriate; heads somewhat plumose.

7.

X.

fimbriata.

Plants conspicuously bulbous-thickened at the base; leaves spirally twisted.

8.

X.

arenicola.

1. Xyris Flexuosa Muhl. Slender Yellow-Eyed Grass

Fig. 1132

Xyris flexuosa Muhl. Cat. 5. 1813.

Xyris tort a J. E. Smith, in Rees' Cyclop. 1818.

Scapes slender, straight or sometimes slightly twisted, 4'-18' tall, 2-edged above, bulbous-thickened at the base. Leaves narrowly linear, flat or becoming twisted when old, 1'-6' long, 1/2"-1 1/2" wide; head globose, or short-oblong, obtuse, 3"-4" high; bracts broadly oval or slightly obovate, entire or somewhat lacerate at the apex; lateral sepals linear, about as long as the bracts, curved, finely fringed with short hairs on the wingless keel; expanded flowers 3"-4" broad.

In swamps and bogs, Maine to Minnesota, south to Georgia, Missouri and Texas. Yellow flowering-rush. July-Sept.

1 Xyris Flexuosa Muhl Slender Yellow Eyed Grass 11321 Xyris Flexuosa Muhl Slender Yellow Eyed Grass 1133