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 castilloniana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 4–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 8–15; digitate; erect, or ascending; unilateral; 9–11 cm long. Rhachis subterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3.5–4.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.6–2 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.9–3.9 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; laterally compressed; gibbous; 3.5–4.7 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy between veins (in hollow). Lemma margins ciliate; hairy all along. Lemma hairs 1–2 mm long. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 2.2–2.5 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; oblong; 1.5–2 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas glabrous; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 1–2 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed; trigonous; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson.

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