Xyris

<<<<Sepals>Ovary>Style>Shape>Branch number

3-branched1

1. 004-007-003-001-001

<<<<Sepals>Ovary>Style>Shape>Branches

each branch terminating in a "U"-shaped stigma2

2. 004-007-003-001-002

<<<Capsules>Seeds>Embryo>Position

basal or lateral-basal3

3. 005-001-005-001

<<<Scapes>Bracts>Empty bracts>Bract number

2-several4

4. 003-004-001-001

<<<Sepals>Ovary>Style>Shape

tubular, slender, conduplicate, elongate, just above petal claws,5

5. 004-007-003-001

<<<Sepals>Petals>Shape>Colour

mostly yellow (in Africa some are blue)6

6. 004-004-002-001

<<<Sepals>Stamens>Filaments>Shape

flattened7

7. 004-006-001-001

<<<Sepals>Staminodes>Branches>Branch number

2-branched8

8. 004-005-002-001

<<<Sepals>Staminodes>Branches>Shape

bearded9

9. 004-005-002-002

<<Capsules>Seeds>Colour

opaque or translucent10

10. 005-001-004

<<Capsules>Seeds>Embryo

embryo tiny, .11

11. 005-001-005

<<Capsules>Seeds>Ribs

mostly longitudinally ribbed12

12. 005-001-003

<<Capsules>Seeds>Seed number

(l-) few to many13

13. 005-001-001

<<Capsules>Seeds>Shape

ovoid to fusiform14

14. 005-001-002

<<Leaves>Blade>Shape

mostly laterally compressed and 2-margined, mostly linear, less often thickened and ventrally sulcate to terete15

15. 002-003-001

<<Leaves>Margins>Hairs

ciliate or fimbriate16

16. 002-002-001

<<Scapes>Bracts>Empty bracts

the lower empty, rarely forming a "leafy" involucre, commonly grading larger into the few to many flowering bracts17

17. 003-004-001

<<Scapes>Buds>Position

axillary18

18. 003-002-001

<<Scapes>Spikes>Bracts

chaffy-bracted19

19. 003-003-002

<<Scapes>Spikes>Flower number

1 to many20

20. 003-003-003

<<Scapes>Spikes>Shape

cone-like21

21. 003-003-001

<<Sepals>Bracts>Position

lateral22

22. 004-002-001

<<Sepals>Bracts>Shape

boat-shaped, free or connate23

23. 004-002-002

<<Sepals>Ovary>Locule number

1-or-3-locular24

24. 004-007-001

<<Sepals>Ovary>Placentation

placentation marginal, parietal, basal, central or transitional25

25. 004-007-002

<<Sepals>Ovary>Style

style ;26

26. 004-007-003

<<Sepals>Petals>Petal number

327

27. 004-004-001

<<Sepals>Petals>Shape

free (rarely connate), long-clawed, only the broad blades and claw tips exserted, these28

28. 004-004-002

<<Sepals>Shape>Texture

membranaceous29

29. 004-003-001

<<Sepals>Stamens>Anthers

and narrow, basifixed, introrse or laterally dehiscent anthers30

30. 004-006-002

<<Sepals>Stamens>Filaments

with filaments31

31. 004-006-001

<<Sepals>Staminodes>Branches

mostly with branches32

32. 004-005-002

<<Sepals>Staminodes>Staminode number

3 (rarely lacking)33

33. 004-005-001

<Capsules>Seeds

seeds , mostly small and , , ,34

34. 005-001

<Leaves>Blade

blades35

35. 002-003

<Leaves>Margins

with margins entire to , apically either narrowing gradually or abruptly to blade or there producing a ligule or auricle36

36. 002-002

<Leaves>Sheaths

sheaths open, clasping, usually broad-based37

37. 002-001

<Scapes>Bracts

bracts in spiral or decussate, , all or some with thicker central zone (dorsal area) of distinctly different texture and color or lacking dorsal area entirely.38

38. 003-004

<Scapes>Buds

arising from buds39

39. 003-002

<Scapes>Scape number per shoot

single or few per shoot40

40. 003-001

<Scapes>Spikes

spikes , , with flowers;41

41. 003-003

<Sepals>Bracts

generally hidden by subtending bract with 2 ,42

42. 004-002

<Sepals>Ovary

ovary , ,43

43. 004-007

<Sepals>Petals

petals , ;44

44. 004-004

<Sepals>Sepal number

345

45. 004-001

<Sepals>Shape

with variously margined keel and flanking a inner (adaxial) sepal which enfolds the corolla in bud, detaching as the flower opens46

46. 004-003

<Sepals>Stamens

stamens mostly ;47

47. 004-006

<Sepals>Staminodes

staminodes , ;48

48. 004-005

<Sepals>Stylar appendages

stylar appendages absent.49

49. 004-008

Capsules

Capsules usually thinvalved;50

50. 005

Citation

Linnaeus 1754: Gen. Pl., ed. 5. p 25

Description

Annual to perennial, scapose, rosulate, stems mostly short, cespitose, rarely rhizomatous. Leaves equitant, distichous, sheaths open, clasping, usually broad-based, with margins entire to ciliate or fimbriate, apically either narrowing gradually or abruptly to blade or there producing a ligule or auricle, blades mostly laterally compressed and 2-margined, mostly linear, less often thickened and ventrally sulcate to terete. Scapes single or few per shoot, arising from axillary buds, sheathed at base by a single, bladeless or bladed bract, terminating in a single spike (except in no. 3); spikes cone-like, chaffy-bracted, with 1 to many flowers; bracts in spiral or decussate, the lower 2-several empty, rarely forming a "leafy" involucre, commonly grading larger into the few to many flowering bracts, all or some with thicker central zone (dorsal area) of distinctly different texture and color or lacking dorsal area entirely. Sepals 3, generally hidden by subtending bract with 2 lateral, boat-shaped, free or connate, with variously margined keel and flanking a membranaceous inner (adaxial) sepal which enfolds the corolla in bud, detaching as the flower opens; petals 3, free (rarely connate), long-clawed, only the broad blades and claw tips exserted, these mostly yellow (in Africa some are blue); staminodes 3 (rarely lacking), mostly 2-branched with branches bearded; stamens mostly with flattened filamentsand narrow, basifixed, introrse or laterally dehiscent anthers; ovary 1-or-3-locular, placentation marginal, parietal, basal, central or transitional, style tubular, slender, conduplicate, elongate, 3-branched just above petal claws, each branch terminating in a "U"-shaped stigma; stylar appendages absent. Capsules usually thinvalved; seeds (l-) few to many, mostly small and ovoid to fusiform, mostly longitudinally ribbed, opaque or translucent, embryo tiny, basal or lateral-basal.

Distribution

Amazonia present, Australasia, Brazilian Planalto present, Guayana Highlands present, Guianas present, east Asia present, temperate to tropical America present, worldwide present

A genus of over 200 species worldwide, represented in east Asia and Australia and particularly in temperate to tropical America with greatest diversity and abundance in the savannas of the Guayana Highlands, in Amazonia and the Brazilian Planalto. 26 species are known from the Guianas.

Habit

Annual to perennial, scapose, rosulate, stems mostly short, cespitose, rarely rhizomatous.51

51. 001

Leaves

Leaves equitant, distichous, , , .52

52. 002

Scapes

Scapes , , sheathed at base by a single, bladeless or bladed bract, terminating in a single spike (except in no. 3);53

53. 003

Sepals

Sepals , , ;54

54. 004

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