GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Chloris berroi

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 15–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–15 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; digitate; appressed back to back; erect; unilateral; 3–12 cm long. Rhachis pilose on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.7–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–1.6 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.1–2.6 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; ovate in profile; 2.7–3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma hairs 2 mm long. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 2.7–3.4 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 3 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate; 0.5–1.9 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned (one of them); 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns subapical; 1 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; trigonous; 1.2–1.8 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.