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 wightiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms 10–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–4 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle glabrous.

Racemes 3–4; digitate; erect; unilateral; 1–2.5 cm long. Rhachis subterete; pilose on surface (tuberculately). Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.7–3.1 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.7–3.1 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface tuberculate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 7.5–10 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 3–4 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate; 1.4–1.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas pilose; adorned on keel (tuberculate on surface); truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 6–7 mm long; 3–4 per spikelet in number.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or ovoid; dorsally compressed; trigonous; 1–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson.

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