Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Xyris caroliniana
FAMILY
Xyridaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Carolina Yellow-eyed-grass is readily identified by its less-wet habitat, twisted stems, twisted leaves, and relatively narrow heads that taper to both ends. Learn more at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
The strongly twisted, narrow leaves, and usually dry(ish) habitat (compared to most other Xyris species) is distinguishing, per Weakley's Flora (2022)
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Xyris caroliniana
FAMILY
Xyridaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Xyris caroliniana
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 035-01-002:
Xyris caroliniana FAMILY Xyridaceae
INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Xyris flexuosa
INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Xyris pallescens
COMMON NAME:
Pineland Yellow-eyed-grass, Carolina yellow-eyed-grass
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_xyca_001_lvd
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_xyfl5_001_lvd
)
Patrick D. McMillan pdmxcaroliniana_sandypl2
June
Petal blades white or yellow, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
Keith Bradley kab_x_caroliniana_4640
October Lee County FL
Wild Turkey Strand Preserve
White-petaled plants, the basis of Small's X. pallescens, occur in the East Gulf Coastal Plain, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
Tim Spira tpsxcaroliniana
Month Unknown
Leaves often lustrous, spirally twisted, 2-4mm wide. Scape spirally twisted, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Xyris caroliniana
FAMILY
Xyridaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Xyris caroliniana
FAMILY
Xyridaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Xyris caroliniana
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 035-01-002:
Xyris caroliniana
FAMILY
Xyridaceae
INCLUDING
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Xyris flexuosa
INCLUDING
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Xyris pallescens
2395
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Dry to moist pine pine flatwoods, moist pine savannas, longleaf pine sandhills, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common in Coastal Plain (rare elsewhere)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate (crowded and appearing basal)
FLOWER:
Summer
Yellow
3 sepals
3 petals
3 stamens, 3 fimbriate staminodia
Superior ovary
Inflorescence a compact, terminal, capitate spike
FRUIT:
Summer
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p347
- Newcomb's Wildflower Guide (Newcomb, 1977) p116
- Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast (Cotterman, Waitt, & Weakley, 2019) p236
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p428
- Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011) p067
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
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