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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.
Chloris ciliata
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 25–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs, or absent. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.
Racemes 3–5(–7); digitate; unilateral; 3.5–6(–8) cm long. Rhachis subterete. 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; 1.8–2.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.3–1.7 mm long; 0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.9–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 1.8–2.8 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy all along. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy all along. Lemma hairs 0.5–1.5 mm long. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 0.9–2.7 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate; 1.3–1.8 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate; lower awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 0.9–1.4 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; 1.4 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia. North America: south-central USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.
NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
