Part 7 - UNC Herbarium

TYPHACEAE 946
1 Staminate and pistillate portions of spike normally contiguous; pistillate portion of spike (1.5-) 2.0-3.5 cm in diameter at
maturity; leaves (8-) 10-24 mm wide, flat on one side; stigmas lance-ovate, fleshy, persistent; pollen grains in 4's; [in acid to
alkaline waters, widespread in our area] .................................................................................................................... T. latifolia
1 Staminate and pistillate portions of spike normally separated by a gap; pistillate portion of spike 0.5-2.2 (-2.5) cm in
diameter at maturity; leaves 4-15 mm wide, biconvex (or flat on one side in T. ×glauca); stigmas linear to lance-linear, not
fleshy (or slightly so in T. ×glauca), either quickly deciduous or persistent; pollen grains single; [in circumneutral to alkaline
waters, primarily in tidal situations in the outer Coastal Plain, but scattered inland, especially in VA].
2 Pith at base of stem yellowish buff; stigmas lance-linear, slightly fleshy; pistillate portion of spike 1.6-2.5 cm in
diameter at maturity; pistillate bracteoles usually absent (or present on a few flowers) ....................................T. ×glauca
2 Pith at base of stem white; stigmas linear, not fleshy; pistillate portion of spike 0.5-2.5 cm in diameter at maturity;
pistillate bracteoles present on all flowers.
3 Leaves 4-7 (-11) mm wide, auriculate at the junction of the blade and the sheath; pistillate portion of spike 0.5-2.0
cm in diameter and dark brown at maturity; plants 1-1.5 m tall; pistillate bracteoles rounded to blunt at the tip .......
............................................................................................................................................................ T. angustifolia
3 Leaves 6-12 (-15) mm wide, most or all not auricled at the junction of the blade and the sheath; pistillate portion
of spike (0.8-) 1.3-2.5 cm in diameter and light cinnamon brown at maturity; plants (1-) 2-4 m tall; pistillate
bracteoles acute to acuminate at the tip...............................................................................................T. domingensis
Typha angustifolia Linnaeus, Narrowleaf Cattail. Cp (GA?, NC, SC, VA), Pd, Mt (VA): brackish to fresh waters of
marshes and swamps, usually tidal; common (rare in Piedmont and Mountains). May-July; June-November. Nova Scotia west to
ND, south to SC, FL (?), LA, and TX (?); Eurasia. [= C, F, FNA, G, GW, K, W; < T. angustifolia – S (also see T. domingensis)]
Typha domingensis Persoon, Southern Cattail. Cp (GA, NC, SC, VA): brackish to nearly fresh waters of marshes and
swamps, usually tidal; common. June-July; July-November. DE south to s. FL, west to TX; north inland to NE and UT; and
south into tropical America; Eurasia; Africa; Oceania. [= C, F, FNA, G, GW, K; < T. angustifolia – S]
Typha ×glauca Godron (pro sp.), Hybrid Cattail. Cp (GA?, NC, SC, VA), Mt (VA): fresh to brackish waters of lakes,
ponds, and rivers; rare. May-July; June-November. Both C and K apply this name to two different hybrids: T. angustifolia ×
latifolia and T. domingensis × latifolia. The name properly applies to T. angustifolia × latifolia (Smith in FNA 2000). [= C, GW,
K; = T. glauca Godron – RAB, F]
Typha latifolia Linnaeus, Common Cattail. Mt, Pd, Cp (GA, NC, SC, VA): fresh waters of ponds, lakes, ditches, marshes,
including in tidal freshwater marshes; common. May-July; June-November. Newfoundland west to AK, south to FL, TX, CA,
and Mexico; Central America; South America; Eurasia. [= C, F, FNA, G, GW, K, S, W]
UVULARIACEAE A. Gray ex Kunth 1843 (Bellwort Family)
[see CALOCHORTACEAE (Prosartes, Streptopus, Tricyrtis), COLCHICACEAE (Uvularia), LILIACEAE (Clintonia)]
XYRIDACEAE C. Agardh 1823 (Yellow-eyed Grass Family)
A family of 5 genera and about 325-350 species, nearly cosmopolitan (most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions, and
especially South America). References: Kral in FNA (2000); Kral in Kubitzki (1998b).
Xyris Linnaeus 1753 (Yellow-eyed Grass)
A genus of about 300 species, nearly cosmopolitan (most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions, and especially South
America). This "technical" genus is known well by only a few botanists, and additional undescribed taxa are possible.
References: Kral in FNA (2000); Bridges & Orzell (2003)=X; Kral (1966a)=Z; Kral (1983b, 1999); Kral in Kubitzki (1998b).
Key adapted from X, GW, and Z.
Identification notes: In vegetative condition, Xyris is often confused with other monocots with equitant leaves, such as Iris spp.
(Iridaceae), Lachnanthes caroliniana (Haemodoraceae), and Tofieldia spp. (Tofieldiaceae).
1 Keel of the lateral sepals shortly ciliate-scabrid (or sometimes entire in X. brevifolia, and then the bract tips purplish-tinged).
2 Plants small, usually < 30 cm tall; principal leaves usually < 10 cm long; mature spikes < 1 cm long when mature.
3 Leaves filiform, with expanded brownish lustrous bases, usually exceeding the sheath of the scape; [plants of s.
AL and the FL Panhandle] ................................................................................................................... [X. isoetifolia]
3 Leaves linear, the bases not expanded, shorter than, equaling, or slightly exceeding the sheath of the scape; [plants
collectively more widespread].
4 Keel of the lateral sepals straight to slightly curved, remotely ciliate or entire; spikes broadly ovoid to
subglobose, the bracts loose, bicolored, the outer portions maroon or purplish and often with erose margins ...
........................................................................................................................................................ X. brevifolia
4 Keel of the lateral sepals strongly curved, densely ciliate; spikes lance-ovoid to ovoid, the bracts entire, not
purple-tinged, and lacking erose borders.