Chloris berazainiae

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; slender; 10–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled; puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–6; digitate; erect, or ascending; unilateral; 2–3 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–2.8 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 3 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 12–20 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; oblong; 1 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas acute; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 6–15 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Catasus 2002.

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