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 divaricata

HABIT Perennial. Stolons absent, or present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms 30–50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–15 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–9; digitate; spreading; unilateral; 4–17 cm long. Rhachis subterete; scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax; regular.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.9–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.9–1.8 mm long; 0.5–0.6 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; 2–2.9 mm long; 0.7 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 linear, or lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.9–4 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; incised 0.1 of lemma length; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 7.5–17 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; elliptic; 1.2–1.9 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 2 -fid; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 4.5–9.5 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; 2.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, and north-central.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Sterile lemma lobed 0.15–0.5 its length.

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