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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 elata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms erect; 70–135 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 20–45 cm long; 7–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–28; digitate; spreading, or drooping; unilateral; (5–)10–20 cm long. Rhachis subterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 1.6–2.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–2.5 mm long; 0.5–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.9–3.5 mm long; 1.1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 1.6–2.8 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy all along. Lemma hairs 1–3 mm long. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 1.4–4.8 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; barren; in a clump; oblong, or cuneate; 1–1.6 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas obtuse; lower awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 1.7–4 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 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA. South America: 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.