MAYACE^E. (MAYACA FAMILY. ) 537 



anthers, glumaceous calyx, and a regular colored corolla ; the S-valved 

 mostly l-celled capsule containing several or many orthotropous seeds with 

 a minute embryo at the apex ofjleshy albumen. 



1. XYRIS, Gronov. YELLOW-EYED GRASS. 



Flowers single in the axils of coriaceous scale-like bracts, which are densely 

 imbricated in a head. Sepals 3 ; the 2 lateral glume-like, boat-shaped or keeled 

 and persistent ; the anterior one larger and membranaceous, enwrapping the 

 corolla in the bud and deciduous with it. Petals 3, with claws, which cohere 

 more or less. Fertile stamens 3, with linear anthers, inserted on the claws of 

 the petals, alternating with 3 sterile filaments, which are cleft and in our spe- 

 cies plumose or bearded at the apex. Style 3-cleft. Capsule oblong, free, 1- 

 celled, with 3 parietal more or less projecting placentas, 3-valved, many-seeded. 



Flowers yellow, produced all summer. Ours apparently all perennials. 

 (Evpis, a name of some plant with 2-edged leaves, from vpov, a razor.) 



\. X. flexuosa, Muhl. Scape slender (10-16' high), barely flattened at 

 the summit, often from a bulbous base, very smooth, much longer than the 

 narrowlv linear leaves, both commonly twisted with age; head roundish-ovoid 

 (3-4" long) ; lateral sepals oblong-lanceolate, Jinely ciliate-scarious on the nar- 

 row icing/ess keel, usually with a minute bearded tuft at the apex, shorter than 

 the bract. Sandy or peaty bogs, Mass, to Fla., west to Minn, and Mo. 



Var. pusilla, Gray. Small and very slender, seldom twisted, 2-9' high, 

 the base not bulbous; head 2-3" long. White Mts. to Penn., west to L. 

 Superior. 



2. X. torta, Smith. Scape terete, with one sharp edge, slender, 9-20' 

 high, from a dark bulbous base, and with the linear-filiform rigid leaves be- 

 coming spirally twisted ; head ovoid, becoming spindle-shaped, or oblong aui( 

 acute (5 -9" long); sepals exceeding the bract; lateral sepals winged on the 

 keel and fringed above the middle. Piue barrens, in dry sand, N. J. to Fla., 

 Tex. and Ark. 



3. X. Caroliniana, Walt. Scape flattish, 1-angled below, 2-edged at the 

 summit, smooth, -2 high, the base hardly bulbous; leaves linear-sword- 

 shaped, fiat, 2-4" broad; head globular-ovoid (5-7" long); lateral sepals ob- 

 scurely lacerate-f ringed above on the winged keel, rather shorter than the bract. 



Sandy swamps, near the coast, Mass, to Fla. 



4. X. fimbriata, Ell. Scape somewhat angled, 2-edged above, rough 

 (2 high), rather longer than the linear-sword-shaped or strap-shaped leaves, 

 the base not bulbous ; head oblong-ovate (6-10" long) ; lateral sepals lanceo- 

 late-linear, nearly twice the length of the bract, above the middle conspicuously 

 fringed on the wing-margined keel, and even plumose at the summit. Pine-bar- 

 rens, N. J. to Fla. and Tex. 



ORDER 119. MAYACE^E. (MAYACA FAMILY.) 



Moss-like aquatic plants, densely leafy, with narrowly-linear sessile pel- 

 lucid leaves, axillary naked peduncles terminated by a solitary perfect 3- 

 androus flower, herbaceous calyx, white corolla, and a 3-valved l-celled 

 several-seeded capsule. 



