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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 ventricosa
HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–20 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.
Racemes 2–9; digitate; unilateral; 5–11 cm long. Rhachis subterete; scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular.
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; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 1.2–2.3 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 2.5–4.1 mm long; 0.75–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or obovate; laterally compressed; 2–5.4 mm long; 0.6–1.2 mm wide; cartilaginous; light brown; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma surface smooth, or scabrous. Lemma margins eciliate. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 1–11 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; oblong, or cuneate; 1–2.6 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate, or obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 0.5–7.5 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.7–1.4 mm long. Stigmas 2.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; dorsally compressed; trigonous; 1.5–2.1 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Cynodonteae. Anderson.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
