Common name: Golden Weather-grass
Hypoxis hygrometrica Labill. APNI* 
Description: Perennial herb; corm ± cylindrical, 12–40 mm long, 4–9 mm diam., 1–3.5 c. below surface of soil, tunic papery; roots usually fleshy-fibrous, sometimes ± tuberous.
Leaves with lamina angular or flat, usually becoming conduplicate, shortly subulate, sparsely hairy.
Inflorescences 1–6, 2–24 cm long; axes sparsely pubescent; bracteoles single. Tepals glabrous to moderately hairy outside, bright yellow. Stamens 3–7 mm long; filaments alternately long and short, 1.5–4 mm long; anthers 1.8–4.5 mm long. Ovary 2–3 mm long, 3-locular, glabrous to sparsely villous; style 1.8–4 mm long.
Capsule ± ellipsoidal, 2.5–5.5 mm long; seeds 1.5–2.3 mm wide, puncticulate to finely colliculate, rostrate, dark brown to black. A variable species, occurring in moist sites.
Distribution and occurrence:
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, SWS
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. S.A.
Text by P. G. Richards
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the varieties | |
| 1 | Flowers usually 1 per peduncle; ovary and tepals glabrous or glabrescent on outer surface; seeds globose or ellipsoidal | 2 |
| Flowers usually 2 or 3 per peduncle; ovary and at least outer tepals sparsely to moderately hairy on outer surface. Leaves linear, usually 7–20 cm long, mostly 1.5–2 mm wide (rarely to 4 mm). Inflorescences 2–6; pedicels 0.8–3 cm long; bracteoles 1–10 mm long. Tepals elliptic, 7–14 mm long. Anthers 1.8–4.5 mm long. Style 1.8–3.5 mm long including stigmatic lobes 0.5–1 mm long | var. villosisepala |
| 2 | Anthers ± versatile, tapered upwards, cordate at apex; stigmatic lobes much shorter than slender stylar column; seeds globose. Leaves linear, usually 4–20 cm long, 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Inflorescences 1–3; pedicels 1.2–4 cm long; bracteoles <4 mm long. Tepals narrow-ovate, 6–11 mm long. Anthers 2.3–3.5 mm long. Style 2.5–4 mm long including stigmatic lobes 0.7–1 mm long | var. hygrometrica |
| Anthers erect, ± oblong, shortly forked at apex; stigmatic lobes ± equalling stout stylar column; seeds ellipsoidal. Leaves linear, 3–18 cm long, 1.2–4 mm wide. Inflorescences 1–3, usually 1-flowered; pedicels 2.5–3.5 cm long; bracteoles 1–5 mm long. Tepals narrow-ovate, 8–12 mm long. Anthers 2.8–3.2 mm long. Style 2–3.3 mm long including stigmatic lobes 1–2 mm long
Back to 1 | var. splendida |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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