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 andropogonoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms 10–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous; glabrous; hairless except near base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; deciduous as a whole. Peduncle disarticulating; disarticulating above uppermost sheath.

Racemes 6–13; digitate; radiating; unilateral; 4–15 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; 3–3.3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.3 mm long; 0.6–0.7 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; 3–3.3 mm long; 1.5–1.9 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 lanceolate, or elliptic; laterally compressed; 1.9–2.7 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 1.9–5.2 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; oblong; 0.9–1.7 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 2.5–3.5 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; 1.3–1.4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: south-central USA and Mexico.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson.

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