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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 rufescens
HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 40–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades 7–15 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.
Racemes 4–8; digitate; unilateral; 4–8.5 cm long. Rhachis subterete; scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular.
Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3.4–4.5 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; 1.8–2.3 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4.1 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; laterally compressed; 3.4–4.5 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent; with simple hairs. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma hairs 0.5–1 mm long. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 6–12 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; cuneate; 1.2–2.4 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 5–7 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; 1.5–1.9 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.
NOTES Cynodonteae. =Chloris aristata. Anderson.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
