Chloris exilis

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; (10–)30–70 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 3.5–14 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–10; digitate; unilateral; (1.5–)5–7 cm long. Rhachis subterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–5 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 ovate; 2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 4–7 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 3–4 in number; barren; separate; lanceolate. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 1.5–4 mm long; 3(–4) per spikelet in number.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; dorsally compressed; trigonous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Gr Bahia 1997.

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