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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.
Chrysochloa
HABIT Annual (3), or perennial (1). Stolons absent (1), or present (3). Culms geniculately ascending (3/3), or decumbent (2/3); slender (1/1); 10–45.62–75 cm long; firm (3), or wiry (1); without nodal roots (1/1), or rooting from lower nodes (1/1). Culm-internodes elliptical in section (1/1). Lateral branches lacking (1/1), or sparse (1/1). Ligule a ciliolate membrane.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.
Racemes digitate; erect (1), or ascending; unilateral. Rhachis flattened (3), or angular (1); terminating in a spikelet (3), or sterile spikelet (1). Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 1–2 -rowed.
Spikelets ascending (3/3); solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong (1), or ovate (3); laterally compressed; 3–4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous; reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets (2); thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; not gibbous (3), or gibbous (1); 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.9–1.05–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined (3), or 3–5 -veined (1). Upper glume apex emarginate (1), or acute (3); muticous (1), or mucronate (3), or awned (3); 1 -awned (3/3). Upper glume awn terminal (2/3), or subapical (1/3).
FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; coriaceous; keeled; wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface smooth (3), or striate (1); unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex emarginate (1), or acute (3); mucronate (1), or awned (3); 1 -awned (3/3). Principal lemma awn apical (1), or subapical (3). Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; male (1), or barren; lanceolate. Apical sterile lemmas muticous (3), or awned (1).
FLOWER Anthers 3.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid (3/3); trigonous (3/3).
DISTRIBUTION Africa.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
