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

quillwort yelloweyed grass

Habit Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 5–30 cm. Herbs, perennial, densely cespitose, (15–)20–30(–40) cm, base not abruptly bulbous.
Stems

compact.

compact.

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.

erect or ascending, 4–15 cm;

sheaths glossy brown or red-brown, chaffy;

blade green, filiform or narrowly linear, twisted, to 1 mm wide, smooth.

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 exceeded by leaves;

scapes linear, nearly terete, 0.5(–0.7) mm wide, smooth, not ribbed;

spikes ellipsoid to obovoid, 5–7(–10) mm;

fertile bracts ca. 4.5 mm, margins nearly entire, apex rounded.

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, reddish brown, linear-curvate, 4 mm, keel firm, ciliate;

petals unfolding in morning, blade obovate, 4 mm;

staminodes bearded.

Seeds

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

translucent, ellipsoid, 0.5 mm, distinctly longitudinally ribbed, with fainter transverse lines.

2n

= 18.

Xyris montana

Xyris isoetifolia

Phenology Flowering summer–fall. Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat Sphagnous bogs, poor fens, acid seeps, shores of glacial lakes, streams, muskegs, or floating bog mats Sphagnous bogs, low pine savanna, shores of dolines, coastal plain
Elevation 0–500 m (0–1600 ft) 0–100 m (0–300 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
[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.)

Xyris isoetifolia, locally abundant only in northwest Florida, is most often mistaken for X. baldwiniana but is distinguishable by its bearded staminodes and more distinctly ribbed, shorter seeds.

(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. flabelliformis, 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) Kral: Sida 2: 227, plate [p. 252], fig 2. (1966)
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