500 XYRIDACEX. (YELLOW-EYED GRASS FAMILY.) 
fan, laterally curved; spikes oblong, mostly acute, few-flowered, angular ; bracts 
light brown, entire; lateral sepals lanceolate, short-fringed on the wingless keel ; 
petals obovate; sterile filaments often beardless. — Low pine barrens, near the ` 
coast, West Florida. April and May. — Scape 4'—12' high. Leaves }!-1! long. 
Spikes 2-4" long. Petals 2" long. 
§ 2. Sheath of the scape shorter than the leaves. Perennials. 
* Sterile filaments bearded : sepals included. 
*- Lateral sepals Jringed on the keel. 
3. X. ambigua, Beyr. Scape rigid, finely furrowed, rough, 2-edged 
above, l-angled below; leaves linear-lanceolate, rough on the edges; spike 
ovate-lanceolate or oblong, even, often acute, many-flowered ; bracts light brown, 
oval, not crowded on the spike ; lateral sepals lanceolate, tapering at each end, 
shining, narrowly winged; petals round obovate; seeds ovoid.— Open grassy 
pine barrens, Florida to North Carolina. July - Sept. — Scape 29-3? high, 
mostly solitary. Leaves 6'—12'long. Spikes 9"—15" long. Petals 4’ long. 
4. X. stricta, n.sp. Scape flattened and broadly margined, rough-edged 
above, smooth and 1-2-angled below, slightly striate; leaves long, linear, 
smooth; spikes oblong or cylindrical, obtuse, many-flowered ; bracts dark 
brown, orbicular, crowded on the spike; lateral sepals broadly winged above 
the middle, narrowed below; petals small, wedge-obovate ; seeds ovoid. — 
Shallow ponds in the pine barrens, West Florida. July - Sept. — Seapes 
slender, clustered, 22-39 high. Leaves 1°- 1j? long. Spikes 9/-12" long. 
Petals 2" long. 
5. X. flexuosa, Muhl. Somewhat bulbous ; scape smooth, 2-edged above, 
nearly terete below ; leaves linear, smooth ; spikes globose, few-flowered ; lateral 
sepals lanceolate, wingless. (X. bulbosa, Kunth.) — Swamps in the upper dis- 
tricts of Georgia, and northward. July ~Sept.— Scape 6/-12! high. Leaves 
4/-8'long. Spike 3"— 5" long. , pos 
~ + + Lateral sepals broadly winged, and variously toothed or fimbriate. — 
6. X. Elliottii, Scape slender, flattened and 2-edged throughout, or I- 
edged below, roughish and mostly spiral ; leaves narrowly linear, sharp-edged, 
twisted ; spike few-flowered, elliptical, obtuse; lateral sepals linear, the Wing 
cut-toothed above the middle; petals obovate. (X. brevifolia, Ell. ex descr.) x 
Wet grassy pine barrens, Florida to South Carolina. July.— Scape 10-1} 
high. Leaves 6'-9/ long. Petals 3” long. : 
7. X. difformis, n. sp. Scapes clustered, slender, smooth, widely 2-cdged 
above, terete or 1 - 2-angled below ; leaves thin, linear-lanceolate, smooth; ien 
many-fowered, ovate, acute, even, often 9 — 4-cleft ; lateral sepals lanceolate, ¥ 
the broadly winged keel incised-fimbriate ; petals obovate; seeds elliptical, 
smooth. — Swamps near the coast, West Florida. July.— Scapes 1°- 1^ high 
Leaves 9! - long. Spikes 6//- 9" long. Petals ema as 04 0, 
erotina, n.sp. Scapes clustered, twisted and mostly spin dae 
