Xyris montana
Xyris caroliniana
northern yellow-eyed-grass, xyris de montagne, xyris des montagnes
Carolina yelloweyed grass
compact.
compact.
in narrow fans, 4–15 cm;
sheaths reddish, soft, papillate;
blade deep green, narrowly linear, 0.8–2(–3) mm wide, smooth, margins smooth to papillate.
erect or ascending, 20–50 cm;
sheath base chestnut brown;
blade green, narrowly linear, twisted, 2–5 mm wide, compressed but fleshy, margins minutely tuberculate.
scape sheaths exceeded by leaves;
scapes linear, wiry, terete, (0.25–)0.5–0.8(–1) mm wide, distally with 2–4 ribs, ribs papillate;
spikes broadly to narrowly ellipsoid or ovoid, 4–8 mm;
fertile bracts 3–4(–4.5) mm, margins erose or minutely fimbriolate, sometimes with narrow reddish border, apex very slightly to slightly keeled.
scape sheaths much exceeded by leaves;
scapes linear, wiry, flexuous, nearly terete, 1.2–1.5 mm wide, distally 1-ribbed, rib smooth or somewhat scabrous;
spikes ellipsoid to lanceoloid or cylindric, 10–30 mm, apex acute;
fertile bracts 5–10(–13) mm, margins entire or erose, apex rounded.
lateral sepals slightly exserted, straight, 4.2–4.7 mm, keel scarious, entire or apically lacerate, apex red, narrow, firm;
petals unfolding in morning, blade obovate, 3–4 mm;
staminodes bearded.
lateral sepals conspicuously exserted, tan to reddish brown, nearly straight, 13–15 mm (including long hairs), keel firm, apex long-fimbriate, fimbriae red;
petals unfolding in afternoon, blade obovate, 8–10 mm;
staminodes bearded.
translucent, narrowly ellipsoid, (0.6–)0.7–0.9(–1) mm, finely lined.
translucent, cylindro-fusiform, 0.8–1 mm, with flat, longitudinal ribs.
= 18.
Xyris montana
Xyris caroliniana
Most or all known populations of this species fall within the boundaries of Wisconsin glaciation. The long stems (a trait not known for other North American species) are a response to the burial of the clump bases in deep sphagnum.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
In Florida and the lower Gulf Coastal Plain west to Mississippi are paler-leaved, white-petaled examples that have been treated as Xyris flexuosa var. pallescens (C. Mohr) Barnhart. These indeed are always in uniform populations but differ in no other significant way from the species. Since from typical plants. Because some other Xyris have white-flowered morphs (particularly X. platylepis), these are regarded as too close to be distinguished as varieties. Populational studies are in order, however.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Go Botany
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
LA Plants
