Xiphidium Aubl.

Rhizomatose, stoloniferous herbs rooting at the nodes. Leaves mainly radical, margin serrulate. Inflorescence a lax thyrse, composed of many 3-25-flowered simple or branched cincinni, indument composed of white hairs with slightly swollen top cell, tepals glabrous, cataphylls serrulate. Flowers subactinomorphic; tepals slightly unequal in size, the adaxial outer tepal connate with the 2 adaxial inner ones; stamens 3, the abaxial stamen longer than the 2 adaxial ones, staminodes lacking; ovary superior, globose to ellipsoid, with 7-∞ ovules per locule, stigma undivided, long-papillate (to 0.3 mm long). Capsule crowned by the persistent style; seeds ∞ per locule, globose, tuberculate.