Xyris ambigua

Beyrich ex Kunth

Enum. Pl. 4: 13. 1843.

Illustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 22.

Herbs, perennial, cespitose or solitary, 30–100 cm. Leaves in broad or narrow fans, (5–) 10–40 (–50) cm; sheath base tan, straw-colored, or pale-pink; blade pale or olive green, linear-triangular, (2–) 3–7 (–10) mm wide, smooth or slightly papillate, margins smooth to minutely scabrous or papillate. Inflorescences: scape sheaths much exceeded by leaves; scapes linear, rarely flexuous, terete or nearly terete, 1–1.5 mm wide, distally usually 2-ribbed, sometimes with additional ribs; spikes ovoid to ellipsoid, lanceoloid, or cylindric, 10–20 (–30) mm; fertile bracts 5–8 mm, margins entire, apex rounded. Flowers: lateral sepals included, dark-brown, strongly curved, 4–7 mm, keel firm, ciliate, petals unfolding in morning, blade obovate, 10 mm; staminodes bearded. Seeds translucent, ovoid to ellipsoid, 0.5–0.6 mm, finely multiribbed and cross ribbed. 2n = 18.


Phenology: Flowering late spring–fall (all year south).
Habitat: Acid, sandy, moist pine or oak savanna, pine flatwoods, pond shores, ditches, bogs
Elevation: 0–300 m

Distribution

V22 368-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., Mexico, West Indies (Cuba), Mexico, Central America (Belize), Central America (Honduras), Central America (Nicaragua)

Discussion

Xyris ambigua is one of the more widespread and weedy of xyrids, frequently invading disturbed moist, sandy areas. It is also one of the most variable in habit and apparently forms intermediates with X. stricta and X. torta.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thin" is not a number.

... more about "Xyris ambigua"
rounded +
Robert Kral +
Beyrich ex Kunth +
open +  and sheathing +
olive green +  and pale +
ephemeral +
papillate;smooth +
obovate +  and linear-triangular +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (?) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Va. +, Mexico +, West Indies (Cuba) +, Central America (Belize) +, Central America (Honduras) +  and Central America (Nicaragua) +
0–300 m +
basal-lateral +
proteinaceous +  and starchy +
narrow +  and broad +
loculicidal +
Acid, sandy, moist pine or oak savanna, pine flatwoods, pond shores, ditches, bogs +
moniliform +
margined +  and winged +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
equitant +, 2-ranked +  and alternate +
40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br /> (50 cm500 mm <br />0.5 m <br />) +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br />) +
papillate +  and scabrous +
distinct +
unfolding +
Flowering late spring–fall (all year south). +
monosulcate +
additional +
not bracteate +
flexuous +
bladed +  and open +
1mm;1.5mm +
multiribbed +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
cross-lined +
cross +, ovoid +  and ellipsoid +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (?) +
connivent +  and opposite +
distinct +
unequal +
pale-pink +, straw-colored +  and tan +
Illustrated +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
decussate +  and imbricate +
ovoid;ellipsoid lanceoloid or cylindric +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
epipetalous +
branching +  and simple +
elongate +  and caudiciform +
funnel +  and u--shaped +
tubular +  and elongate +
Jupica +, Kotsjiletti +, Ramotha +, Schizmaxon +, Xuris +  and Xyroides +
Xyris ambigua +
species +
herb +, solitary +  and cespitose +