Xyris connosepala

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Description

Delicate, smooth, cespitose annual, 10-20 cm high, stem contracted. Leaves in a narrow fan, 2-5 cm long, sheath red-brown, keeled, blade flattened, 0.8-1.2 mm wide, margins with narrow, pale, smooth, thickened band. Scape sheaths ca. as long as leaves; scapes filiform, maroon, terete, with low but strong rib; spikes ellipsoid becoming turbinate, to 0.5 cm, empty bracts 4, decussate, keeled, flower bracts larger, 2-3, ovate, 3-4 mm, acute, entire, ecarinate with lanceolate dorsal area. Lateral sepals connate in basal 1/3, lobes subequilateral, oblong, keel papillose-tuberculate at middle or above; petals obovate, 3 mm; staminodes bearded; anthers ca. 1 mm. Capsule ca. 1.5 mm, valves eseptate, placentation central; seeds ellipsoid, ca. 0.5 mm long, deep brown.

Distribution

Suriname present

Known only from the type locality, in wet Sphagnum-filled cracks in rocks atop Thble Mountain, Suriname, 300-400 m.

Notes

This rare plant fits into X. guianensis except for the one character trait of connate lateral sepals, and a uniform taxonomic approach might well reduce it to a populational extreme of that species.