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 sesquiflora

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 4–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth to scabrous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–5; digitate; arcuate; unilateral; 6–6.5 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 11 spikelets per cm.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.1–2.9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.1–2.2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.7–2.9 mm long; 1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; laterally compressed; 2.1–2.9 mm long; 0.9–1.1 mm wide; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate and pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate and pubescent. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 0.7–1 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; elliptic; 1 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 0.3–0.5 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.7 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; trigonous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson 1997.

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