Xyris laxifolia
Xyris difformis
laxleaf yelloweyed grass
bog yellow-eyed-grass, southern yelloweyed grass
compact.
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 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 brown, scarious, lacerate;
petals unfolding in morning, blade obtriangular, 4 mm;
staminodes bearded.
translucent to mealy, ovoid to ellipsoid, 0.5 mm, finely lined longitudinally with small papillae.
Xyris laxifolia
Xyris difformis
Varieties 2 (1 in the flora).
(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 |
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