flowers in heads terminating long slender
scapes.

One species in Michigan; leaves linear and basal; flower-stalk 5-15 cm.
high; flower-heads whitish or lead-color
=Pipewort, Eriocaulon articulatum.=

XYRIDACEAE, the Yellow-eyed Grass Family

Small herbs with basal leaves and erect flower-stalks bearing a head of
perfect yellow flowers, in summer.

1a. Base of plant bulbous-thickened (3-6 dm. high)
=Yellow-eyed Grass, Xyris flexuosa.=

1b. Base of plant not bulbous-thickened (1-3 dm. high)
=Yellow-eyed Grass, Xyris montana.=

COMMELINACEAE, the Spiderwort Family

Leafy-stemmed herbs; flowers with 3 sepals, 3 petals, and 6 stamens,
lasting but a single day; petals blue.

1a. Stamens 6; petals all equal (Spiderwort) --2.

1b. Perfect stamens 3, sterile stamens 3; two of the petals larger than
the third (3-6 dm. high; summer) =Day-flower, Commelina virginica.=

2a. Sepals villous (3-10 dm. high; late spring)
=Spiderwort, Tradescantia virginiana.=

2b. Sepals glabrous, or with a tuft of hairs at the apex (4-10 dm.
high; late spring) =Spiderwort, Tradescantia reflexa.=

PONTEDERIACEAE, the Pickerel-weed Family

Aquatic herbs, with 6 rather conspicuous petals; flowers in summer.

1a. Flowers blue; leaves cordate-sagittate (3-10 dm. high)
=Pickerel-weed, Pontederia cordata.=

1b. Flowers yellow; leaves linear (submerged)
=Mud Plantain, Heteranthera dubia.=

JUNCACEAE, the Rush Family

Grass-like or rush-like plants, with inconspicuous greenish or brownish
flowers, of 3 chaffy or scale-like sepals and as many similar petals.

1a. Leaf-sheaths closed; capsule 1-celled and 3-seeded; stem or leaves
usually hairy at or near the base (1-4 dm. high). (Wood Rush) --2.

1b. Leaf-sheaths open; capsule many-seeded; plants never hairy --4.

2a. Flowers solitary at the ends of the branches of the umbel-like
cluster (spring) =Wood Rush, Luzula saltuensis.=

2b. Flowers in spikes or dense clusters --3.

3a. Flower-cluster spike-like, nodding at the tip (summer)
=Wood Rush, Luzula spicata.=

3b. Flower-cluster umbel-like (spring)
=W