Xyris laxifolia
Xyris torta
laxleaf yelloweyed grass
common yelloweyed grass, slender yellow-eyed-grass
compact.
ascending to erect, 20–50 cm;
sheath base often reddened or pink;
blade green, elongate-linear, twisted, 2–5 mm wide, smooth to papillate, with strongly raised veins, margins smooth or papillate.
scape sheaths exceeded by leaves;
scapes linear, flexuous, 1–1.5(–2) mm wide, distally 5–6-ribbed, ribs smooth or papillate;
spikes globose to ovoid, ellipsoid, lanceoloid, or cylindric, 8–25 mm, apex acute or blunt;
fertile bracts 5–7 mm, margins entire except for red fimbriololation at rounded apex.
lateral sepals included, strongly curved, 4.5–5.5 mm;
keel firm, ciliate except for red-fimbriloolate tip;
petals unfolding in morning, blade obovate, 4 mm;
staminodes bearded.
translucent, ellipsoid, 0.5 mm, strongly ridged longitudinally with finer cross-lines.
= 18.
Xyris laxifolia
Xyris torta
Varieties 2 (1 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Although I have seen no records from Maine, Xyris torta is to be expected there.
Xyris torta is the widest-ranging of all North American xyrids and the most expressive ecologically; thus it is not surprising that it varies so much morphologically. It is much ofthen confused in older nomenclature literature with X. caroliniana. Xyris torta is the type species for the genus.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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