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 lobata

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 15–45 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 8–15 cm long; 0.2–0.6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–9; digitate; unilateral; 2.5–6 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.6–2.5 mm long; 0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.6–3.9 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; elliptic in profile; 4–5 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 3–10.5 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2–6 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea fused below to rhachilla internode. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; lanceolate; 1–2 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 2 -fid (to base); awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 3–8 mm long; 3 per spikelet in number.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; trigonous; 1.7–2.4 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson.

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