Hypoxis hirsuta (Yellow Star Grass) on 5-5-25, #1041-21.

Yellow Star Grass, Eastern Yellow Star-Grass, Common Goldstar, Common Stargrass

Hypoxis hirsuta

hy-POK-sis  her-SOO-tuh

Synonyms of Hypoxis hirsuta (9) (Updated on 5-15-25 from Plants of the World Online): Hypoxis carolinensis Michx. (1803), Hypoxis erecta L. (1759), Hypoxis graminea Pursh (1813), Hypoxis grandis Pollard (1903), Hypoxis hirsuta f. villosissima Fernald (1940), Hypoxis micrantha Pollard (1903), Hypoxis pallida Salisb. (1796) (nom. illeg.), Hypoxis pilosa Raf. (1840), Ornithogalum hirsutum L. (1753)

Hypoxis hirsuta (L.) Coville is the accepted scientific name for this species. It was named as such by Frederick Vernon Coville in Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club in 1894. I think it was first named Ornithogalum hirsutum by Carl von Linneaus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

The genus, Hypoxis L., was named as such by Carl von Linnaeus in Systema Naturae in 1759.

As of 5-15-25 when this page was added, Plants of the World Online lists 91 species in the Hypoxis genus. It is a member of the plant family Hypoxidaceae with 5 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

Distribution map of Hypoxis hirsuta from Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/. Retrieved on May 15, 2025.

The above distribution map for Hypoxis hirsuta is from Plants of the World Online. The map on the USDA Plants Database is similar. Areas in green are where the species is native.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations. I post all my observations on iNaturalist.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A POSITIVE ID.

Hypoxis hirsuta (Yellow Star Grass) on 5-5-25, #1041-22.

I was invited to visit a private well-maintained native prairie not far from home on 5-5-25. It was quite amazing! I ran across 11 species I hadn’t seen before including this Hypoxis hirsuta (Yellow Star Grass).

This dainty little grass, commonly known as Yellow Star Grass, hails from the “new-to-me” plant family Hypoxidaceae. It may be somewhat confused because it has been or is sometimes placed in the families Amaryllidaceae and Liliaceae… Depends on what website you are on or if it is up-to-date.

I will come back later and write descriptions, but here is a little information to hold you over…

The links at the bottom of the page provide a wealth of information written by people more knowledgeable than me.

Yellow Star Grass grows from a corm and has 3-lobed fruit. The stems grow from rosettes of grass-like leaves. Both the stems and leaves have small white hairs and stems (peduncles) terminate in 3-6 bright yellow, star-shaped flowers. I didn’t notice many of these compared to the other species, but their bright color stood out among the other vegetation.

OH, the flowers close when it gets hot and the fruits are covered with tiny bumps or spines. The anthers “diverge” in the lower half giving the stamens an arrowhead-like appearance… Maybe I could have taken a close-up if I had known that at the time…

I live on the family farm in Windsor, Missouri in Pettis County (Henry County is across the street, and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away). I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be variable from location to location, so that can be a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and they have provided much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF MISSOURI (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
iNATURALIST
MISSOURI PLANTS
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
BACKYARD NATURE
DAVE’S GARDEN
FLORA FINDER
GO BOTANY
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
IOWA PLANTS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
LAKE FOREST COLLEGE
MARYLAND BIODIVERSITY PROJECT
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
SEINet
U.S. WILDFLOWERS

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂