XYRIDACEAE 233 
6. Xyris neglécta Small. Perennial, slender. Leaves, few, linear, 3-10 cm. long, 
acute, straight or slightly curved, rather erect : scapes solitary or commonly 2-4 together, 
1-4 dm. tall, spirally twisted, 10-ridged, the ridges in pairs, 2 on either side of a line con- 
necting the 2 more prominent ridges: spikes ovoid, 4-9 mm. long; bracts 3-5 mm. long: 
lateral sepals 3-4 mm. long ; wing with erose-serrate crest from near the base to the apex : 
corolla bright yellow, 3 mm. broad: petals irregularly arose. 
In moist pine lands, Georgia and Florida to Mississippi. Summer and fall. 
7. Xyris Caroliniàna Walt. Perennial. [Leaves linear, attenuate, smooth, the 
longer fully 3 as long as the scapes: scapes erect, slender, 1-6 dm. tall, flattened and 2- 
edged above, the edges smooth: spikes oval or ovoid, 5-9 mm. long, obtuse ; bracts loosely 
imbricated in few series and splitting in age: lateral sepals 4-5 mm. long ; wing narrower 
than the sepal-body, incised-toothed or eroded beyond the middle: corolla yellow. 
In swamps and shallow ponds, Vermont to Massachusetts, Florida and Louisiana. Summer. 
8. Xyris communis Kunth. Perennial. Leaves linear, gradually attenuate, shorter 
than the scapes : scapes solitary or few together, 2-7 dm. tall, 2-edged above: spikes oval 
or globular, 8-15 mm. long; bracts closely imbricated in few series: lateral sepals 3-4 
mm. long, included ; wing narrower than the sepal-body, erose- or incised-toothed above 
the middle: corolla yellow. 
In bogs and swamps, Maryland to Florida and Louisiana. Summer. Also in tropical America. 
9. Xyris elàta Chapm. Perennial. Leaves few, linear, 2-6 dm. long: scapes soli- 
tary or several together, 3-12 dm. tall, 2-edged above : spikes oblong or conic-oblong, 16- 
25 mm. long ; bracts numerous, closely imbricated in many series : lateral sepals 4-5 mm. 
long, included ; wing narrow, toothed above the middle: corolla yellow. 
In swamps near the coast, Maryland to Florida and Louisiana. Summer. 
10. Xyris scabrifólia Harper. Perennial. Leaves few, narrowly and elongated-linear, 
scabro-puberulent, 3-4 dm. long: scapes surpassing the leaves, and puberulent like them : 
spikes 1-1.5 cm. long; bracts rather numerous, closely imbricated : lateral sepals about 5 
mm. long ; wing narrow, toothed above the middle. 
In bogs, western Georgia. Summer. 
11. Xyris diffórmis Chapm. Perennial. Leaves few, linear, 1-5 dm. long, smooth : 
scapes 2-5 dm. tall, mostly clustered, twisted, sharply 2-edged above, smooth : spikes ovoid, 
12-18 mm. long, acute, the bracts rounded: lateral sepals 4.5-6 mm. long ; wing narrow 
or obsolete near the base of the sepal, with a crest of fringe extending 3-3 the length of the 
sepal from the tip: corolla yellow. 
In swamps, Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Spring and summer. 
12. Xyris serótina Chapm. Similar to X. difformis in habit. Leaves and scape 
rough-margined : spikes ovoid, 12-18 mm. long, obtuse; bracts rounded: lateral sepals 
4.5-5 mm. long ; wing broad to the base of the sepal, with a fringed crest mainly above 
the middle: corolla yellow. 
In pine-land swamps, western Florida. Summer and fall. 
13. Xyris platylepis Chapm. Perennial. Leaves linear, 2-6 dm. long : scapes erect, 
solitary or sometimes few together, 5-9 dm. tall, 2-ridged above, sometimes slightly rough- 
ened on the margins: spikes oblong or cylindric, 1.5-3 cm. long; bracts very broad and 
broadly truncate or nearly so at the apex: lateral sepals 4.5-6 mm. long; wing with a 
lacerate, crest above the middle : corolla yellow. 
In low or swampy pine lands, South Carolina to Florida and Louisiana. Summer and fall. 
14. Xyris iridifdlia Chapm. Perennial. Leaves linear, 5-8 dm. long, relatively 
broad: scapes 6-10 dm. tall, stout, nearly terete or 1-edged below, flattened and 2-edged 
above, the edges broad: spikes oblong or cylindric, 1.5-3.5 em. long; bracts rounded: 
e sepals 5-6 mm. long; wing narrow, incised-fimbriate its whole length; corolla 
yellow. 
In shallow ponds, Georgia and Florida to Texas. Summer and fall. 
15. Xyris Ellióttii Chapm. Perennial, lustrous. Leaves numerous, narrowly linear, 
rass-like, 3-10 em. long or longer, acute, often twisted: scapes solitary or clustered, 2-5 
m. tall, twisted, 2-edged throughout, or only l-edged below, roughish on the edges; 
spikes oval or ellipsoidal; bracts with thin eroded edges: lateral sepals 4-6.5 mm. long, 
exserted ; wing incised-lacerate abovethe middle ornearly entire below the terminal tuft or 
beard: corolla yellow. 
In damp pine lands, South Carolina to Florida and Alabama. Summer. 
16. Xyris Smalliàna Nash. Perennial, lustrous. Leaves linear, 3.5-7 dm. long, 
the lower half often purplish, striate: scapes 7-10 dm. tall, about twice as tall as the 
leaves, flattened, unequally 2-edged below the spikes, smooth : spikes ovoid or at maturity 
