133. COMMFXINACEAR 289 



3. Plant not connosr; pcriantli about 3 mm long, slightly ex- 

 ceeding the capsule; stem-leaves 4-8 mm wide; dry open 



woods, locally throughout 111. Apr. -May 



L. multiflora (Retz.) Lej. 



2. Rays ot the inflorescence unequal, becoming strongly divergent; 

 plant without conns; perianth 3-4 mm long, much longer 



than the capsule; oj^en woods, not common. Apr. -May 



L. cchinata (Small) Hermann 



132. Xyridaceae Lindl. — Yellow-eyed Grass Family 



1 . Xyris L. — Yellow-eyed Grass 



X. tort a Sm. Moist sandy soil, not common; known from Cook, 

 Iroquois, Kankakee, Mason, Will, and Winnebago counties. July- 

 Aug. [X. fJcxuosa sensu auth., non Muhl.] 



133. Commelinaceae Reichenb. — Spiderwort Family 



1. Petals equal; perfect stamens 6; filaments pilose I. Tradescantia 



1. Petals more or less unequal; perfect stamens 3; filaments glabrous 



2. Commelina 



1. Tradescantia L. — Spiderwort 



1 . Leaves lanceolate, 1 .5-5 cm broad, not glaucous, the margins 

 ciliolate: sepals sparsely pilose or glabrous; cymes axillary and 

 tenninal ; stems 40-80 cm tall ; woods, common in the central 

 and southern part of the state. June-Aug. \T. pilosa Lehm.] 



T. subaspera Ker 



1. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate; cymes tenninal. 



2. Leaves glaucous; sepals glabrous, or pilose at the tip; petals 

 12-16 mm long; stems usually 40-90 cm tall; prairies, road- 

 sides, open woods, common. May-Sept. [7". canaliculata 



Raf.] T . ohiensis Raf. 



2. Leaves not glaucous; petals 16-20 mm long; stem 10-30 cm tall. 



3. Sepals and pedicels pubescent with non-glandular hairs; 



petals blue; meadows, roadsides, open woods, and thickets, 



common. May-Jime ..T. virginica L. 



3. Sepals and jjedicels copiously glandular-villous; petals rose 

 or blue ; prairie soil, rare, w. 111. ; Morgan Co., Mrs. /. 

 M. Mulligan in 1869; Mason Co., R. T. Rrxroat in 1953 

 J . bract cat a Small 



2. Commelina L. — Dayflower 



1. Margins of the spathe united at the base; native perennial species; 

 seeds smooth, farinose. 

 2. All three petals blue; leaf-sheaths fringed with long, erect, 

 ferruginous bristle-like hairs; leaves lanceolate, 1-4 cm wide; 

 wet woods, s. 111., rare. July-Sept C. virginica L. 



