Xyris teres L.A.Nilsson, Kongl. Svenska Vetenskap.-Akad. Handl. 24(14): 44-45. 1892.

Wanderley, Maria das Gracas Lapa, 2017, Typification of binomials in Xyris section Nematopus (Xyridaceae) published by L. A. Nilsson, PhytoKeys 80, pp. 65-76 : 73-74

15. Xyris teres L.A.Nilsson, Kongl. Svenska Vetenskap.-Akad. Handl. 24(14): 44-45. 1892.

Type.

“Brasilien”.

[GH00028828]; Sellow s.n. (syntype: B! [B10 0242206]; isosyntypes: K! [K000837563, K000837566, K000837567]).

In the protologue, Nilsson cited three collections he had examined: Glaziou 4286, Glaziou 8003 and Sellow s.n., indicating the B herbarium as depository, however only the Sellow collection was found at B. Smith and Downs (1968) cited as “type” the material of Glaziou 4286 deposited at P (P00753726), which is thus the lectotype, since there is no reason to disagree with the intention of these authors, the specimen being representative of the species and in agreement with the protologue. The lectotype consists of only a single plant, although a line drawn on the sheet shows that other, presumably mixed material has been removed; the label states that it is from the Serra dos Órgãos in Brazil, dated April 4, 1870. The duplicates at K (K000587113) and US ( US 00088220) are isolectotypes. The Kew isolectotype (K000587113) sheet, comprising young plants, also bears traces of previous mixtures, while the US isolectotype ( US 00088220) is mixed with X. macrocephala Vahl .

Duplicates of the syntype Glaziou 8003 are deposited at K (K000587112) and P (P01677114), with annotations giving different origins. The P duplicate (P0167114), states its origin as Brazil, São Paulo, Fazenda Bocaina, near Cascatinha Manbucabo, collected on February 11, 1876. The K duplicate (K000587112) label annotation states the collection is from Rio de Janeiro, while another duplicate at GH (GH00028828) has data identical to the P specimen (Fazenda Bocaina, São Paulo). Despite this divergent locality information, there is no doubt that they all belong to the same Glaziou 8003 collection .

The duplicates of the syntype Sellow s.n. (B100242206, K000837563, K000837563, K000837566, K7000837567) indicate their origin only as from Brazil, with all bearing the number 204 on the label, confirming that all belong to the same Sellow collection. The collections examined revealed leaves with dark edges that can vary from bright to opaque, smooth to rugulose, variations observed in recent specimens of this species. The globular or ovoid spikes with brown bracts having a conspicuous macula are also very variable, sometimes making it difficult to identify this species, which overlaps in some characters with other similar species such as Xyris rigida Kunth.