Xyris schoenoides Martius in Wallich, Pl. Asiat. Rar. 3: 30. 1831; X. capensis f. schoenoides (Martius) Nilsson; X. melanocephala Miquel; X. novoguineensis Hatusima; X. semifuscata Bojer ex Baker; X. sumatrana Malme.

Herbs tufted. Leaf sheath 0.6--1.5 cm; ligule 0.5--1 mm; leaf blade ensiform-linear, 10--40 cm × 0.5--5 mm, rigid, apex falcate, obtuse to acute. Peduncle brownish red at base, 25--50 cm × 1.2--3 mm, terete to subcompressed. Spikes subglobose to obovoid, 6--11 mm in diam.; basal bracts suborbicular, median ones elliptic, sometimes boat-shaped, 5.3--7 mm, not papillose abaxially, veins 5--7, margin membranous, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals boat-shaped, 5--6.5 × 1--1.5 mm, keel narrow, margin entire, apex obtuse; median sepal hooded, ca. 5 × 2 mm, apex obtuse. Petals yellow; limb obovate, 4--5 mm; claw 6--6.5 mm. Stamens 3; filaments ca. 0.5 mm; anthers oblong, 1.2--1.4 mm, apex obtusely incised; locules with 2 teeth at apex. Staminodes 2-cleft, slightly shorter than stamens. Ovary 1-loculed, with 3 parietal placentas. Style 2.6--3.2 mm, branches ca. 2 mm; stigma funnelform. Capsule obovoid. Seeds narrowly ovoid, ca. 0.8 mm. Fl. Jul--Sep, fr. Aug--Oct.

Xyris capensis var. capensis occurs in Africa.

Wet places in mountain valleys and swamps; 1600--2000 m. Sichuan, Yunnan [Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, New Guinea, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, South America].