Hawai'i Yelloweyed Grass

This species probably occurs in other provinces in S China.

Herbs perennial. Leaf sheath narrow, 3.5--7.5 cm; leaf blade linear, (5--)10--25(--40) cm × 1--3.5 mm, rigid, thick, striate when dry, margin thickened and with a stout vein, apex acute. Peduncle erect, 10--40(--60) cm × 1.2--2.5 mm, distinctly compressed, usually twisted leftward, margin with a stout, scabrous rib. Spikes oblong-ovoid to cylindric, 8--20 × 5--8 mm; bracts brownish, suborbicular to broadly obovate, 5--5.5 × 4--5 mm, sometimes with a prominent keel, abaxially subspinulose at center, apical part with a triangular, papillose patch, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals boat-shaped, 3.8--4.5 × 1--1.5 mm, keel lacerate-fimbriate in apical 1/2; median sepal hooded, 3--3.5 mm, veins 1 or 3. Petals yellow; limb obovate to obtriangular, 5--6 mm, apical margin lacerate; claw narrow. Stamens 3; filaments ca. 1 mm; anthers 1--1.5 mm, apex deeply incised; locules mucronulate at base, apex with 2 acute points. Staminodes 2-cleft, ca. 1.5 mm. Ovary obovoid. Style 3--5 mm; stigma funnelform, margin lacerate. Capsule ovoid, 3--3.5 mm. Seeds ovoid to ellipsoid, ca. 0.4 mm. Fl. Aug--Sep, fr. Sep--Oct.

Wastelands, fields, moist sandy soil in coastal areas. Fujian, Hainan [Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Australia].

Xyris elongata Rudge; X. malaccensis Steudel; X. walkeri Kunth.