192 PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



Xyris. L. 3. 1. 



Valves of the calyx unequal ; petals equal ; flowers in an ovate 

 cylindric head. 



Named from the Greek for acute, as the leaf ends in a sharp 

 point ; rush-like plants with yellow flowers. 



X. Caroliniana. Lam. Yellow-eyed Grass. Stem a foot or 

 more high, somewhat twisted ; leaves linear, grass-like ; scape 

 2-edged ; flowers yellow, in a small, dense head ; wet meadows ; 

 July. Plant widely spread over this country ; of little use. 



ORDER 235. HTPOXIDE.E. 



Perianth petaloid or petal-like, commonly 6-parted, superior, 

 regular ; stamens 6, inserted into the base of the segments ; ovary 

 inferior, 3-celled ; style single ; capsule not opening by valves ; 

 stemless, or nearly stemless, with plaited leaves, and white or 

 yellow flowers. Properties not ascertained. 



Hypoxis. L. 6. 1. 



Has a 2-valved spathe, and an elongated capsule, narrowed 

 base, and many roundish, naked seeds. 



Named from the Greek for beneath and sharp, as this is the ter- 

 mination of the lower sepals. Loudon. The genus seems to be 

 of little consequence, though it has more than a dozen species, 

 chiefly belonging to the Cape of Good Hope ; 3 are natives of 

 the United States, and 1 of this Commonwealth. 



II. erecta. L. Star Grass. Erect, hairy, with a stem or 

 scape about 6 inches high, and narrow, long leaves, linear and 

 grass-like ; root bulbous ; woods ; June. 



Note. The place of the plants of this order seems not to be 

 very obvious, as they have been united with the Asphodeleae by 

 some botanists, and associated by others with Bromeliaceae, of 

 which the Pine Apple is the most prominent and very different. 

 Their affinities are much nearer those of the Hypoxideae, and 

 Iridesc, with which others have connected them. 



