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Xyris montana — northern yellow-eyed-grass

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Facts

Northern yellow-eyed-grass is found in peaty and boggy situations in all New England states. The stems can become very long when the plant grows in deep peat.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), bogs, fens, shores of rivers or lakes, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
wetlands
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf arrangement
alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
Leaf blade shape
the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
Leaf blade length
40–150 mm
Flower petal color
  • white
  • yellow
Flower petal length
3–4 mm
Petal fusion
  • the perianth parts are fused to form a tube, cup, or bell shape
  • the perianth parts are separate
Inflorescence type
  • the flowers grow out of the axil (point where a branch or leaf is attached to the main stem)
  • the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)
Ovary position
the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
Fruit type (specific)
the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
Show all characteristics

  • Clonal plantlets

    Axillary bulblets
    there are no bulblets being produced in axils

  • Flowers

    Anther attachment
    the anther is attached by its base to the filament
    Bulblets replace flowers
    there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
    Carpels fused
    the carpels are fused (the number of carpels equals the number of locules)
    Flower bract length
    3–4.5 mm
    Flower bracts
    there are bracts associated with the flower
    Flower petal color
    • white
    • yellow
    Flower petal length
    3–4 mm
    Flower symmetry
    • there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
    • there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
    Flowering stem width
    0.25–1 mm
    Form of style
    the style is branched above the base
    Fringed petal edges
    the petals are not fringed
    Hairs on flower stalk
    NA
    Inflorescence length
    4–8 mm
    Inflorescence type
    • the flowers grow out of the axil (point where a branch or leaf is attached to the main stem)
    • the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)
    Marks on petals
    there are no noticeable marks on the petals
    Nectar spur
    the flower has no nectar spurs
    Number of carpels
    3
    Number of pistils
    1
    Number of sepals and/or petals
    there are six petals, sepals or tepals in the flower
    Number of styles
    1
    Ovary position
    the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
    Petal and sepal arrangement
    the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
    Petal appearance
    the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
    Petal base
    the petal narrows abruptly at the base
    Petal fusion
    • the perianth parts are fused to form a tube, cup, or bell shape
    • the perianth parts are separate
    Sepal appearance
    the sepals resemble leaves in color and texture
    Sepal length
    4.3–4.7 mm
    Sepals fused only to sepals
    the sepals are separate from one another
    Spathe
    the plant does not have a spathe
    Spathe form
    NA
    Stamen number
    3
    Stamen position relative to petals
    the stamens are lined up with the sepals
    Stamens fused outwards
    the stamens are fused to the petals or tepals at or near their bases
    Style petal-like
    the style is not broad and flattened like a petal

  • Fruits or seeds

    Berry color
    NA
    Capsule ridges
    there are no ribs or wings on the capsule
    Fruit compartments
    there is only one locule in the fruit
    Fruit type (general)
    the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
    Fruit type (specific)
    the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
    Other markings on berry
    NA

  • Glands or sap

    Sap
    the sap is clear and watery

  • Growth form

    Lifespan
    the plant lives more than two years
    Root septa
    the roots do not have transverse septa
    Underground organs
    there are only slender roots on the plant

  • Leaves

    Hairs on underside of leaf blade
    the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
    Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
    the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
    Leaf arrangement
    alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
    Leaf blade basal lobes
    the leaf blades do not have basal lobes
    Leaf blade cross-section
    • the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section
    • the leaf blade is round or semicircular
    Leaf blade faces
    the surfaces of the leaf blade are composed of tissues from the abaxial side only
    Leaf blade form
    Fully-formed (i.e., expanded), +/- green leaf blades are found somewhere on the plant
    Leaf blade length
    40–150 mm
    Leaf blade orientation
    the edge of the leaf blade faces the stem of the plant
    Leaf blade shape
    the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
    Leaf blade surface colors
    the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
    Leaf blade veins
    the lateral veins are parallel or slightly arched in the direction of the tip
    Leaf blade width
    0.8–3 mm
    Leaf type
    the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
    Leaflet number
    0
    Stipule twining
    NA
    Stipules
    there are no stipules on this plant

  • Place

    Habitat
    wetlands
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • bogs
    • edges of wetlands
    • fens
    • man-made or disturbed habitats
    • shores of rivers or lakes

  • Scent

    Plant odor
    the leaves have no particular smell

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Flowering stem growth form
    the flowering stem is held upright
    Flowering stem leaves
    there is at least one fully-formed leaf on the flowering stem

Wetland status

Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Connecticut
rare (S-rank: S2), threatened (code: T)
Massachusetts
rare (uncertain) (S-rank: S2?)
Rhode Island
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), state threatened (code: ST)
Vermont
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), threatened (code: T)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

2.  Xyris montana Ries N

northern yellow-eyed-grass. CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Peaty pond and lake shores, bogs, acidic fens, boggy rights-of-way.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Xyris difformis:
sheaths smooth, leaves than 2–7 mm wide, floral scales mostly 5–7 mm long, entire, with a well-defined, green central area (vs. X. montana, with sheaths minutely papillose, leaves mostly 0.8–2 mm wide, floral scales mostly 3–4 mm long, erose or minutely fimbriate along the margins, lacking a well-defined, green central region).
Xyris torta:
keel of lateral sepals firm, ciliate except at the red-fimbriate tip, leaves twisted, seeds ca. 0.5 mm long, and base of plant abruptly bulbous (vs. X. montana, with the keel of lateral sepals weak, scarious, entire to lacerate, leaves plane, seeds 0.6-1 mm long, and base of plant not abruptly bulbous).

Family

Xyridaceae

Genus

Xyris