Chloris boliviensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms 18–40 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–14 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 2–5 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile, or pedicelled. Pedicels reduced to a stump.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.66–1 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; 3–3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 3.5 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; barren; in a clump; oblong; 2 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate; lower awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 2–3 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or obovoid; dorsally compressed; trigonous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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