Chloris gayana

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–220 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades (15–)25–50 cm long; (1.5–)3–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (5–)7–20; digitate; spreading, or ascending; unilateral; 4–15 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.5–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; lanceolate in profile; 2.5–3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma hairs 0.5–1 mm long. Lemma apex emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 2–10 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 2–3 in number; male, or barren; in a clump; lanceolate; 1.5–3 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas pilose; adorned on margins; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns subapical; 1.5–5.5 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; trigonous. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, northwestern, and north-central. North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Cynodonteae. FTEA.

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