236 FLORA. 



tall, not bulbous-thickened at the base. Leaves narrowly linear, 2-15 cm. long, 

 1-2 mm. wide, not twisted or but slightly so ; head oblong or ovoid, subacute, 

 3-6 mm. long ; bracts rounded and finely lacerate at the apex; lateral sepals linear, 

 irreguiarly serrate-fimbriate on the winged keel above the middle, about as long 

 as the bracts. In bogs, N. S. to Ont., Mich., Penn. and N. J. July- Aug. 



3. Xyris macrocephala Vahl. SOUTHERN YELLOW-EYED GRASS. (I. F. f. 

 895.) Scapes slender, slightly twisted, 2-edged above, I -edged below, not thick- 

 ened at the base, 1.5-4.5 dm. tall. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, flat, 7-25 cm. 

 long, 2-8 mm. wide; head ovoid, or subglobose, blunt or subacute, 1-1.5 cm - lng; 

 scales ovate or oval, mostly entire ; lateral sepals lanceolate, the winged keel 

 fimbriate from the apex to below the middle ; corolla-lobes obovate, 4-6 mm. long. 

 In bogs, Md. to Fla. and La. Widely distributed in tropical America. June-Aug. 

 (X. communist) 



4. Xyris Caroliniana Walt. CAROLINA YELLOW-EYED GRASS. (I. F. f. 

 896.) Scapes mostly slender, straight or somewhat twisted, 2-edged above, 2-5 

 dm. tall, not thickened at the base. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, flat, 1-4 

 dm. long, 2-10 mm. wide; head globose, ovoid or broadly oval, blunt, 8-16 mm. 

 long; scales oval or slightly obovate, entire or somewhat lacerate; lateral sepals 

 linear, about as long as the bracts, the narrowly winged keel lacerate or incised- 

 serrate only above the middle. In swamps and bogs, Mass, to Penn., Fla. and La., 

 mostly near the coast. June-Aug. 



5. Xyris fimbriata Ell. FRINGED YELLOW-EYED GRASS. (I. F. f. 897.) 

 Scapes rather stout, roughish, straight or somewhat twisted, strongly 2-edged 

 above, 0.5-1.2 m. high. Leaves flat, 6-12 mm. wide; head oblong-cylindric, or some- 

 times globose-ovoid, I 1.5 cm. in diameter; scales obovate, their margins entire or 

 the apex lacerate; lateral sepals longer than the bracts, exserted, long-fringed on 

 the winged keel above the middle. In wet pine barrens, S. N. J. to Fla. and 

 Miss., mostly near the coast. July-Sept. 



6. Xyris conocephala Sauv. TWISTED YELLOW-EYED GRASS. (I. F. f. 898.) 

 Scapes stout, much spirally twisted, i -edged below, or 2-edged at the summit, 

 smooth or nearly so, the base conspicuously bulbous-thickened and with the 

 sheathing leaves sometimes 2.5 cm. in diameter. Leaves narrowly linear from a 

 broad shining nearly black base, rigid, rather shorter than the scapes, spirally 

 twisted; head oblong or oblong-cylindric, acute or subacute, 1-2.5 cm. long; 

 bracts oblong -obovate, minutely lacerate-serrulate at the apex or entire; lateral 

 sepals linear, exserted, the winged keel fringed with rather short processes above 

 the middle. In dry pine barrens, S. N. J. to Fla., west to Tex., mostly near the 

 coast, extending north to Ark. (X. torta Kunth, not J. E. Smith.) May-Aug. 



Family 3. ERIOCAULACEAE Lindl.* 

 Pipeivort Family. 



Bog or aquatic herbs, perennial or perhaps sometimes annual, with 

 fibrous mostly knotted or spongy roots, tufted grass-like basal leaves, 

 arid monoecious (androgynous) or occasionally dioecious very small 

 flowers, in terminal solitary heads, on long slender scapes. Head of 

 flowers involucrate by bracts, each flower borne in the axil of a scarious 

 scale. Perianth of 2 series of segments or rarely of one series. Stamens 

 in the staminate flowers as many or twice as many as the sepals. Ovary 

 2-3-celled. Ovules 2 or 3. Fruit a 2-3-celled, 2-3-seeded capsule, locu- 

 licidally dehiscent. Seeds pendulous, orthotropous ; endosperm fari- 

 naceous. Six genera and about 340 species, widely distributed in warm 

 and tropical regions, a few extending into the temperate zones. 



Perianth of 2 series of segments; sepals and petals 2 or 3 ; stamens distinct; anthers 2- 

 celled. 



Stamens twice as many as the inner perianth-segments (petals), i. Eriocaulon. 

 Stamens as many as the inner perianth-segments. 2. Diipatya. 



Perianth simple, of 3 segments (sepals) ; stamens 3, monadelphous below ; anthers 

 i-celled. 3. Lachnocaulon. 



* Contributed by the late Rev. Thomas Morong. 



