Xyris

Scientific name

Xyris L.

Common names

yellow-eyed grass

Family

Xyridaceae

Similar genera

Eriocaulon, Lachnanthes, Lachnocaulon, Philydrum, Triglochin

Native distribution

widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of the world

Species cultivated

Xyris indica L.

Adventive distribution

Xyris complanta is introduced into Hawaii (United States).

Weed status

Xyris indica is sometimes weedy in rice fields.

Habit

submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
or more commonly emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
, narrow-leafed rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
plant

Brief description

Annual or perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
. Stem a compact, erect rhizomerhizome:
(n) an underground stem, usually growing horizontally, from which both roots and shoots emerge directly; the thick, above-ground stem of ferns
. Leaves in a basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
, sheathed basally, alternatealternate:
(adj) (of leaves) bearing one leaf per node; placed singly on the stem at different heights
, submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
or more usually emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
linear or capillarycapillary:
(adj) slender, hair-like
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a compact headhead:
(n) inflorescence consisting of small closely packed stalkless flowers or florets arising at the same level on a flattened axis; of several types, including: discoid (composed entirely of disk flowers) and radiate (composed of central disk flowers and marginal ray flowers)
-like spikespike:
(n) an indeterminate, unbranching inflorescence of sessile flowers or flower clusters on a usually elongated axis
on elongate naked pedunclepeduncle:
(n) the stalk of a flower cluster or inflorescence
; flowers tightly packed between bracts. Sepals 3: 2 small, 1 large and hooded; petals 3, fused only at very base, large, yellow or white; stamens 3. Dispersal by seed.

Natural habitat

swamps, marshes, margins of lakes and rivers. Xyris indica is commonly found along sandy water courses

Additional comments

Xyris contains over 350 species worldwide, but only X. indica is commonly cultivated as a pond plant.