GENERA AND SPECIES. 173 
11. Stems very short, trunk-less. 
Leaves flat or more or less triquetrous, spikes under 
1 foot long ; floral bracts spathulate sae ... minor 
Leaves flat, slightly convex above ; spikes up to 6 feet 
long ; floral bracts narrow, acuminate... ... semiplana 
ORDER XYRIDEAE. 
Xyris. 
Tufted perennials; leaves radical, more or less grass- -like ; 
flowers in a terminal head, within imbricate rigid bracts ; 
scape long. 
Herbaceous sepals opaque with scarious margins, prominently 
keeled, usually ciliate at the end; bracts irregularly 
arranged i in 5 rows ; iliac united at the base, as long 
as the ovary... sé operculata 
Herbaceous sepals shining, rere = anita end: naeeneas 
much shorter than the ovary, almost distinct... .. gracilis 
ORDER COMMELINEAE. 
Commelina. 
Flowers blue within a spathe. Perfect stamens 3, staminodia 
3; sepals and petals distinct. | Procumbent; leaves 
linear-lanceolate ; spathe oblique, funnel-shaped... ... ensifolia 
ORDER ALISMACEAE. 
Damasonium. 
Fruitlets 2-seeded, beaked. Semiaquatic herb. Leaves basal, 
on long stalks, from ovate-cordate to lanceolate. Flowers 
singly terminal or umbellate at the end of whorled 
pedicels ... aa eas ues nhs a art ... australe 
ORDER JUNCACEAE. 
Fruit 3-seeded ; leaves grass-like, chiefly radical, hairy... Luzula 
Fruit many-seeded ; leaves grass- or rush-like, glabrous Juncus 
Luzula. 
Tufted perennial; flowers in umbellate or crowded clusters campestris 
Juneus. 
1. Leaves grass-like. Inflorescence terminal with 
spreading bracts. 
Stems branchless ; leaves radical, flaccid ; flowers brown. 
Leaves broad-linear ; flower-clusters in unequally 
compound spreading cymes. Stamens3 ... ... planifolius 
