526 XYKIDACE^:. (YELLOW-EYED GKASS FAMILY.) 



ORDER 158. MAYACACE^E. (MAYACA FAMILY.) 



Creeping moss-like marsh herbs, with very numerous narrow and 

 pellucid leaves, and solitary axillary flowers. Represented only by 



1. MAYACA, Aublet. 



Flowers regular, perfect. Sepals 3, lanceolate, herbaceous, persistent. 

 Petals 3, obovate, deciduous or withering-persistent. Stamens 3, free, inserted 

 on the base of the sepals, persistent : anthers erect, spoon-shaped, imperfectly 

 2-celled, emarginate at the apex, iutrorse. Ovary 1-celled. Ovules few, or- 

 thotropous, fixed to three parietal placentae. Style single, terminal, persist- 

 ent : stigma minutely 3-lobed. Capsule rugose, 3-valved ; the valves bearing 

 the placentas in the middle. Seeds globose, furrowed and pitted, pointed at 

 the apex. Embryo minute at the apex of the albumen. Stems branching, 

 tender. Leaves alternate, linear, emarginate. Flowers white or purple. 



1. M. Michauxii, Schott & Endl. Fruiting peduncles longer than the 

 leaves, recurved; capsule few-seeded; flowers (3" -4" wide) white or pale 

 purple. Springy places, Florida to North Carolina. June -July. Stems 

 2' - 6' long. Leaves 3" - 4" long. 



ORDER 159. XYRIDACE^E. (YELLOW-EYED GRASS 



FAMILY.) 



Perennial stemless marsh herbs, with fibrous roots, sword-shaped 

 equitant leaves, and perfect irregular fugacious flowers, collected in 

 a dense imbricate-bracted spike. Sepals 3 ; the two lateral ones glu- 

 maceous, keeled, persistent ; the inner one hyaline, enfolding, in the 

 bud, the petals and stamens. Petals 3, rounded, distinct, or united by 

 their long claws. Stamens 3, and inserted on the summit of the claws 

 of the petals, or 6, and the alternate ones sterile, hypogynous, and 

 commonly bearded with jointed hairs : anthers erect, 2-celled, extrorse. 

 Ovary free, 1 - 3-celled. Style single, 3-parted. Capsule 3-valved, 

 many-seeded. Seeds minute, orthotropous. Embryo minute, at the 

 apex of the albumen. Scape commonly twisted or spiral, 2-edged 

 near the summit, with a spathe-like sheath at the base. Spikes 

 mostly solitary. 



1. XYRIS, L. YELLOW-EYED GRASS. 



Petals distinct. Stamens 6, the alternate ones hypogynous, sterile, com- 

 monly bearded at the summit, and slightly cohering with the claws of the 

 contiguous petals. Stigmas entire. Capsule 1-celled, 3-valved, the valves 

 bearing the placenta? in the middle. Seeds very numerous, finely ribbed. 

 Spikes ovoid or oblong. Bracts coriaceous or somewhat crustaceons, rounded, 

 closely imbricated, convex and discolored on the back ; the lower ones empty. 

 Keel of the lateral sepals mostly winged and variously lacerated. Flowers 

 yellow. 



