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northern yellow-eyed-grass, xyris de montagne, xyris des montagnes

savannah yelloweyed grass

Habit Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 5–30 cm. Herbs, annual, cespitose, rarely solitary, 7–30 cm.
Stems

compact.

short.

Leaves

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.

in fans, (1–)2–3(–10) cm;

sheath base without chestnut brown patch;

blade strongly maroon-tinged, lance-linear, 1–3(–4) mm wide, margins papillate or finely tuberculate-scabrous.

Inflorescences

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 exceeding leaves;

scapes filiform, nearly terete, 0.5 mm wide, many ribbed;

spikes mostly ovoid, mostly longer than broad, 4–8(–10) mm, apex acute;

fertile bracts 3–5 mm, margins entire or erose, apex keeled.

Flowers

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 included, strongly curved, 2–3 mm, keel concolorous, firm, ciliate;

petals unfolding in morning, blade obovate, 2.5–3 mm;

staminodes bearded.

Seeds

translucent, narrowly ellipsoid, (0.6–)0.7–0.9(–1) mm, finely lined.

translucent, broadly ellipsoid to round, 0.3 mm, finely lined longitudinally.

2n

= 18.

Xyris montana

Xyris flabelliformis

Phenology Flowering summer–fall. Flowering spring–early summer (all year south).
Habitat Sphagnous bogs, poor fens, acid seeps, shores of glacial lakes, streams, muskegs, or floating bog mats Acid, sandy, peaty flatwoods, clearings, disturbed moist sands, coastal plain
Elevation 0–500 m (0–1600 ft) 0–200 m (0–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CT; MA; ME; MI; MN; NH; NJ; NY; PA; RI; VT; WI; NB; NF; NS; ON; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; MS; NC; SC
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Source FNA vol. 22. FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Xyridaceae > Xyris Xyridaceae > Xyris
Sibling taxa
X. ambigua, X. baldwiniana, X. brevifolia, X. caroliniana, X. difformis, X. drummondii, X. elliottii, X. fimbriata, X. flabelliformis, X. isoetifolia, X. jupicai, X. laxifolia, X. longisepala, X. platylepis, X. scabrifolia, X. serotina, X. smalliana, X. stricta, X. tennesseensis, X. torta
X. ambigua, X. baldwiniana, X. brevifolia, X. caroliniana, X. difformis, X. drummondii, X. elliottii, X. fimbriata, X. isoetifolia, X. jupicai, X. laxifolia, X. longisepala, X. montana, X. platylepis, X. scabrifolia, X. serotina, X. smalliana, X. stricta, X. tennesseensis, X. torta
Synonyms X. flexuosa var. pusilla, X. papillosa
Name authority Ries: Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 19: 38. (1892) Chapman: Fl. South. U.S. 499. (1860)
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