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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Chloris cruciata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 15–35 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades involute; 2–6 cm long; 0.3–0.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–3; paired, or digitate; spreading; unilateral; 1–2.5 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax.

Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.2–2.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–1.3 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.6–2.2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; lanceolate in profile; 2.2–2.8 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; pallid; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous; eciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma margins involute; eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 7.5–17 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; cuneate; 0.5–1.4 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns subapical; 3.7–7 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 1.4–1.5 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson.

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