Xyris jupicai
Xyris difformis
Richard's yelloweyed grass
bog yellow-eyed-grass, southern yelloweyed grass
compact.
compact.
erect or ascending in narrow fans, 5–60 cm;
sheaths straw-colored, light green, or brown, smooth;
blade green, linear, flattened, 2–5(–15) mm wide, smooth, margins smooth or papillate.
in narrow to broad fans, 5–50 cm;
sheaths soft, base reddish;
blade deep green, linear to linear—sword-shaped, flat, not twisted, under 7 mm wide, papillate or smooth, margins smooth or papillate, somewhat scabrous.
scape sheaths exceeded by principal leaves;
scapes linear, terete, distally oval, (0.5–)1–1.5(–2) mm wide, smooth, 1–2-ribbed, ribs papillate;
spikes ovoid to ellipsoid or cylindro-lanceoloid, 7–15(–25) mm, apex acute;
fertile bracts 5–7 mm, margins entire, apex rounded.
scape sheaths exceeded by leaves;
scapes linear to filiform, terete proximally, terete or ancipital-2-edged–winged distally, 0.5–3 mm wide, variably ribbed, distally with 3 or more somewhat scabrous ribs, ribs papillate to scabrous;
spikes prevalently ovoid, 5–20 mm, apex usually acute;
fertile bracts (4–)5–7(–9) mm, margins entire, apex rounded.
lateral sepals included, slightly curved, 5–7 mm, keel scarious, lacerate, thin;
petals unfolding in morning, blade obtriangular, 3 mm;
staminodes bearded.
lateral sepals included, slightly curved, 5–7 mm, keel brown, scarious, lacerate;
petals unfolding in morning, blade obtriangular, 4 mm;
staminodes bearded.
translucent, ellipsoid, 0.4–0.5 mm, faintly ribbed.
translucent to mealy, ovoid to ellipsoid, 0.5 mm, finely lined longitudinally with small papillae.
= 18.
Xyris jupicai
Xyris difformis
The widest-ranging of all New World Xyrids and the most ample ecologically, Xyris jupicai is a frequent invader of disturbed or fallow open wetlands within its extensive range. In the southeastern United States it frequently shares habitat with two other species of its complex, namely X. difformis var. difformis and X. laxifolia. It differs from both in its lack of red pigmentation, from X. difformis by its more erect leaves and narrower, less prominently ribbed scapes, and from X. laxifolia by its narrower leaves and scapes, shorter, narrower, paler spikes, and translucent (rather than mealy), shorter seeds. Nonetheless, some difficult "calls" arise since all three flower at the same time and occasional chance hybrids do form.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaves and scapes (except for edges and ribs) smooth; scapes somewhat to much widened distally; 2 ribs comparably wider, making wings, smooth or papillate; seeds translucent | var. difformis |
1. Leaves and scapes variously papillate or minutely scabrous; scapes not much widened distally; ribs all equally prominent, somewhat scabrous; seeds translucent or mealy. | → 2 |
2. Seeds translucent; leaves spreading-ascending in broad fans, rarely as long as 10 cm, linear–sword-shaped; spikes rarely longer than 5 mm. | var. curtissii |
2. Seeds mealy; leaves ascending in broad to narrow fans, rarely shorter than (10–)15 cm, linear; spikes 6–10(–15) mm | var. floridana |
LA Plants
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