Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

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Xyris ustulata

Common name

Yellow flag

Family

Xyridaceae

Where found

Damp or swampy areas, often in heath. Ranges north of west of Milton.

Notes

Perennial herb. Flower stalks to 1.5 m long, cylindrical or 3- or 4-angled in cross section, smooth. Leaves clustered at the base of the plant, 30–90 cm long, about 1 mm in diameter, flattened cylindrical, sheathing base 7–17 cm long, deep red to black, shiny. Flowers yellow, with 3 petals each 5–9 mm long. Flower buds contained within a tight oval to oval brownish head 12–19 mm long, 10–12 mm in diameter. Flowers opening one at a time from within the flower cluster, rarely 2 flowers open at the same time. Flowering: late spring to summer.

PlantNET description with line drawings:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Xyris~ustulata (accessed 12 February, 2021)