Irisleaf Yelloweyed Grass

Xyris iridifolia Chapm. Fl. S. U. S. 501. 1860
Tufted, rarely annual; leaves linear, 40-60 (-80) cm. long, 5-8 (-10) mm. broad, somewhat obtuse at the apex, smooth; sheath occupying about one half the length of the leaf, tawny or pale-violaceous, opaque, somewhat dilated at base; peduncles 60-100 cm. tall, 2-3 mm. broad, somewhat compressed and bicostate above, smooth, the peduncular sheath 15-22 cm. long, rusty and shining below; spike very many-flowered, ellipsoid or oblong, 12-30 (-35) mm. long, 8-12 mm. thick, the barren bracts rather numerous (about 10), the outer bracts oblong or ovate-elliptic, about 3 mm. long, rounded at the apex, the flowering bracts obovate-elliptic, about 7 mm. (rarely 8 mm.) long, 5-6 mm. broad, entire, tawny or pale-chestnut-colored, shining, with a grayish-green ovate (rarely ovate-lanceolate) dorsal area 2.5-3 mm. long; lateral sepals narrowly linear-lanceolate, about 6 mm. long and 0.75 mm. broad, acute at the apex; keel narrow, shortly lacerate-fimbriate from near the base to the apex, rusty or dullpurple; seeds fusiform, about 0.9 mm. long.
Type locality: Shallow ponds, Apalachicola, Florida.
Distribution: South Carolina to Florida and Texas; Honduras; Costa Rica.