JUNCACEJE. 371 



ORDER CXXXVI. XYRIDACEA XYRIDS. 



Perianth 6-parted, in 2 rows ; outer glumaceous ; inner peta- 

 loid, unguiculate. Stamens 6, 3 fertile, inserted upon the claws 

 of the inner segments of the perianth. Ovary single ; style 

 trifid. Capsule 1 -celled, 3-valved, many-seeded, with parietal 

 placentae. Herbaceous rush-like plants, with fibrous roots, 

 ensiform or filiform radical leaves and flowers in terminal im- 

 bricate scaly heads. 



XYRIS. Linn. Yellow-eyed Grass. 

 (From the Greek upoj, sharp, in allusion to the pointed leaves.) 

 Perianth in 2 rows ; outer row glumaceous, 2 of the segments 

 somewhat boat-shaped ; inner row petaloid ; the segments with 

 long nearly distinct claws and dilated laminae. Stamens 6 ; 3 

 fertile, the rest abortive. Capsule 1 -celled. 



1. X. Carolinians, Walt, : scape somewhat 2-edged ; leaves linear, 

 grass-like, much shorter than the scape; head roundish-ovoid; bracts 

 orbicular-obdvate. X. Jupacai Mich. X.jlexuosa Ell. 



Wet meadows. N. Y. to Flor. July. %. Stem a foot high, somewhat bul- 

 bous at the base, often spirally twisted. Leaves sheathing at base, flat or twisted. 

 Flowers yellow, in a head 3 1 lines long. Common YeUow-eyed Grass. 



2. X. brevifolia Mich. : leaves subulate, ensiform. short ; head globose ; 

 inner segments of the perianth shorter than the outer one, slightly notched. 



Wet meadows. Penn. to Geor. July. %. Scape 12 18 inches high, com- 

 pressed near the summit. Leaves much twisted. Flowers yellow, in a globose 

 head. Short-leaved Yellow-eyed Grass. 



3. X. fimbriata Ell. : leaves long, ensiform ; heads loosely imbricate, 

 oblong ; segments of the perianth fimbriate. 



Meadows. N. J. to Geor. June. 7J.. Stem 2 feet high. Flowers yellow. 

 Found in New Jersey by Dr. Darlington. Fl. Cest. 



Fimbriate YeUow-eyed Grass. 



ORDER C XXXVII. JUNCACEJE. RUSHES. 



Flowers mostly perfect. Perianth 6-leaved, in a double row, 

 more or less glumaceous. Stamens 6, rarely 3, inserted into 

 the base of the segments. Ovary 1- or 3 -celled ; stigmas gen- 

 erally 3. Fruit capsular, with 3 valves. Seeds with a thin 

 skin and firm albumen. Mostly grass-like plants. Flowers 

 small, generally brown or green, in cymes or heads. 



