XYRIDACE^E. (YELLOW-EYED GRASS FAMILY.) ' 499 



the middle. Seeds globose, furrowed and pitted, pointed at the apex. Embryo 

 minute at the apex of the albumen. Stems branching, tender. Leaves alter- 

 nate, 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. (Sycna fluviatilis, Pursk.) Springy places, Florida to North Caro- 

 lina. June and July. Stems 2' - 6' long. Leaves 3" - 4" long. 



ORDER 17. XYRIDACE^E. (YELLOW-EYED GRASS 

 FAMILY.) 



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

 tant leaves, and perfect irregular fugacious flowers, collected in a dense 

 imbricate-bracted spike. Sepals 3 ; the two lateral ones glumaceous, 

 keeled, persistent ; the inner one hyaline, enfolding, in the bud, the petals 

 and caducous 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 albu- 

 men. 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, commonly 

 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 pla- 

 centae in the middle. Seeds very numerous, finely ribbed. Spikes ovoid or 

 oblong. Bracts coriaceous or somewhat crustaceous, rounded, closely imbri- 

 cated, convex and discolored on the back ; the lower ones empty. Keel of the 

 lateral sepals mostly winged and variously lacerated. Flowers yellow. 



1. Sheath of the scape longer than the leaves. Biennials? 



1. X. brevifolia, Michx. Scape nearly terete, smooth ; leaves narrowly 

 linear, smooth on the edges ; spike globose, light brown, few-flowered ; bracts 

 soon lacerated at the apex ; lateral sepals lanceolate, rigid, crenulate on the 

 wingless keel; petals obovate, rounded ; sterile filaments sparingly bearded. 

 Low sandy pine barrens, Florida to North Carolina. April and May. Plant 

 light brown. Scape 6' - 12' high, clustered. Leaves 1 ' - 3' long. Spike 2"- 3" 

 long. Petals 2" long. 



2. X. flabelliformis, n. sp. Scape filiform, smooth, terete below, slightly 

 compressed above ; leaves very short, linear-lanceolate, smooth, spreading like a 



