Chloris virgata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Basal innovations subterete, or flabellate. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 50–100 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–12; digitate; spreading; unilateral; 2–10 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; 2.5–4.5 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; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–4.5 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 obovate; laterally compressed; elliptic in profile; 2.5–4 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid, or dark brown; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface with conspicuous apical hairs. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma hairs 1.5–4 mm long. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 5–15 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; barren; in a clump; oblong; 2–2.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas glabrous; awned (one of them); 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns subapical; 5–12 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, middle Atlantic ocean, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, Mongolia, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, northwestern, and north-central. North America: northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, 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.