MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[VOL. 10 



are familially inconsonant. Taxonomic evidence supports this suggestion.! Addi- 

 tional morphologic data are now being sought further to elucidate the question. 



The following table indicates the more obvious contrastive and comparative 

 features of the three genera which are at this time tentatively retained in the 



Xyridaceae. 



1. Habit. 



2 



Leaf arrange- 

 ment. 



3. Scape 



4. Sepals. 



5. Corolla. 



7. Pollen grains. 



Styli 



9. Seed. 



Orectanthe 

 caulescent, 

 rosulate or cauline. 



ebracteate. 

 3. 



irregular, yellow. 



6. Staminodia. lacking. 



nonaperturate, spheroi- 

 dal, spinose, 160-250 fi 

 in diameter. 



crateriform, penicillate, 

 undivided. 



strongly compressed, 

 broadly winged, non- 

 striate; mitten-shaped. 



Abolboda 

 acaulescent. 



basal, sometimes rosu- 

 late, in at least one spe- 

 cies distichous and equi- 

 tant. 



bracteate (commonly). 



2 (commonly). 



regular, or somewhat ir- 

 regular, blue, rarely 

 white. 



lacking, or simple and 

 filiform. 



nonaperturate, spheroid- 

 al, spinose, 75-150 /i in 

 diameter. 



crateriform, penicillate, 

 sometimes alcerately tri- 

 ed. 



obliquely oblong, oblique- 

 ly striate. 



Xyris 

 acaulescent. 



basal, often distichous 

 and the sheaths strongly 

 equitant. 



ebracteate. 

 3. 



regular, yellow, rarely 

 white. 



bifurcate, strongly peni- 

 cillate. 



aperturate, sulcate, with- 

 out spines. 



trifid above the middle, 

 the segments linear. 



oblong, vertically striate. 



Key to the Genera of the Xyridaceae 

 1. Sepals 3 ; flowers yellow. 



2. Corollas irregular, porrectate, exceeding 5 cm in length ; staminodia lacking ; seed 

 strongly compressed, broadly winged ; coarse caulescent herbs with rosulate or 

 conferted cauline leaves. 1. Orectanthe. 



2. Corollas regular, less than 3 em long; staminodia bifurcate, prominently penicil- 

 late; seed oblong, vertically striate; acaulescent herbs with basal and often dis- 

 tichous but not rosulate leaves. 3. Xyris. 

 1. Sepals 2 (commonly); corollas blue, essentially regular, 3 em or less long; stamino- 

 dia lacking or filiform and unbranched ; seed obliquely oblong, spirally striate; 

 acaulescent herb with basal, rosulate, or sometimes distichous leaves 2. Abolboda. 



1. Orectanthe Maguire, gen. nov. 



Inflorescentia solitaria, terminalis capitata subglobosa, vel hemisphaerica am- 

 plior, multiflora; floribus sessilibus porrectis singulis a bractea subtentis; brac- 

 tearum cyclo vel duobus inferioribus sterilibus; floribus trimeris; sepalis 3. 

 duobus lateralibus conduplicatis equitantibus valde carinatis falcate lanceolatis. 

 tertio anteriore nec conduplicato nec carinato ; corolla gamopetala aliquantum 

 inaequaliter bilateraliter symmetricali porrecta, lobo posteriore maiore ; stamini- 

 bus 3, antheris adnatis linearibus 4-loeularibus ; granis pollinis maximis, 160- 



t Mr. A. A. Bullock has brought to our attention the formal and valid publication of the 

 name of Abolbodaceae Nakai, in Ordines, familiae, tribi, [etc.] in praelectionibus anni 1937. 



