328 



coloured, encircling the inner calyx in the bud together with 

 the genitals, like a cup, soon caducous, inner ones petaloid, 

 very long clawed, equal : claws free, cohering by the assistance 

 of the staminodes except at the top, seldom connate into a 

 tube : laminae staminiferous at the base, much spreading : 

 fertile stamens 3, free : anthers 2-celled, posticous : cells 

 elongated, contiguous, dehiscing lengthways.: staminodes 3, 

 alternating with the fertile stamens, hypogynous, free, filiform, 

 2-eleft and feathery at the apex: ovary free, sessilej'l — 3- 

 celled : ovules numerous, sessile or erect with longish threads, 

 orthotropal: style terminal, 3 -cleft at the apex, stigmas simple: 

 capsule membranaceous or papery, 1 — 3.-celled, locidicidaUy 

 3-valved: seeds numerous, erect, elliptic or oblong, usually 

 slightly ribbed, seldom sessile and angled : testa coriaceous : 

 embryo very small, lenticular, antitropal : albumen fleshy. — 

 Stemless, perennial, marshy herbs : roots fascicled : leaves 

 iris-shaped, seldom grassy, linear or filiform : pedmicles scapi- 

 form, simple, wrapped at the base by an open sheath, terminated 

 by a solitary few-many flowered spike : scales imbricated on 

 all sides, outer ones sometimes empty and dissimilar : flowers 

 yellow, seldom blue or violet. 



GENUS I. XTEIS. 



Triandria monogynia. Sex: Systt, 



Beriv. From Xyros, acute, the leaves terminate irt points. 

 Gen. Chab. Same as in the Order. 



(1) X. 'Wallichii. (Kunih.) 



Ident. Kunth Enum. pi. iv. p. 16. 



Spec. Chae. Leaves gladiate-Unear, acute^ membranaceous,, the- 

 edges obsoletely scabrous : peduncles flHform, 2-edged, glabrous, 

 equalling or a little exceeding the leaves : spike oblong, few- 

 flowered : scales oblong, marked above on the back with a paler 

 lanceolate scraped area, inner ones somewhat keeled and recurved, 

 outer ones shorter, rounded at the apex, empty : outer lateral sepals- 

 broad spathulate, acutish, keeled, dry membranaceous, brownidii 

 flowers yellow. 



Silhet. 



