Chloris Sw.

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Morphology General Habit

Annual (13), or perennial (47). Rhizomes absent (56), or short (3). Stolons absent (42), or present (29). Culms erect (27/43), or geniculately ascending (26/43), or decumbent (10/43), or prostrate (1/43); robust (2/4), or slender (2/4); 5-50.41-300 cm long; firm (56), or wiry (2), or woody (1); without nodal roots (9/11), or rooting from lower nodes (11/11). Culm-internodes terete (1/2), or elliptical in section (1/2). Lateral branches lacking (2/3), or sparse (2/3), or ample (1/3). Ligule an eciliate membrane (3), or a ciliolate membrane (29), or a ciliate membrane (23), or a fringe of hairs (3), or absent (2). Leaf-blades filiform (1), or linear (58).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes; not deciduous as a whole (55), or deciduous as a whole (4); subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath (58), or an inflated leaf-sheath (1); exserted (56), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (3). Peduncle persistent (55), or disarticulating (4). Racemes single (2), or paired (5), or digitate (54), or borne along a central axis (3); not compacted (54/56), or in a multilateral false spike (2/56); side by side (55/56), or appressed back to back (1/56); appressed (1), or erect (10), or ascending (41), or spreading (15), or radiating (4), or drooping (1), or deflexed (3); unilateral. Rhachis flattened (1/36), or angular (4/36), or subterete (31/36). Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded (7), or contiguous (46), or lax (6); 2 -rowed (1/1). Raceme-bases brief (57), or filiform (2). Spikelets appressed (17/22), or ascending (1/22), or spreading (2/22), or pectinate (1/22), or pendulous (1/22); solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile, or sessile and pedicelled (1), or pedicelled (1). Pedicels reduced to a stump (1/1).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets, or 2 fertile florets (3); with a barren rhachilla extension (1), or with diminished florets at the apex (58). Spikelets lanceolate (1), or oblong (1), or ovate (1), or cuneate (56); laterally compressed; 1.5-3.116-6.2 mm long; falling entire (4), or breaking up at maturity (55); deciduous with accessory branch structures (4/4); disarticulating below each fertile floret (55/55). Floret callus brief (56), or evident (3); glabrous (1/57), or pubescent (18/57), or pilose (5/57), or bearded (33/57); obtuse (56), or acute (2), or pungent (1).

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets, or 2 fertile florets (3); with a barren rhachilla extension (1), or with diminished florets at the apex (58). Spikelets lanceolate (1), or oblong (1), or ovate (1), or cuneate (56); laterally compressed; 1.5-3.116-6.2 mm long; falling entire (4), or breaking up at maturity (55); deciduous with accessory branch structures (4/4); disarticulating below each fertile floret (55/55). Floret callus brief (56), or evident (3); glabrous (1/57), or pubescent (18/57), or pilose (5/57), or bearded (33/57); obtuse (56), or acute (2), or pungent (1).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent (55/55); shorter than spikelet (29), or reaching apex of florets (23), or exceeding apex of florets (20); thinner than fertile lemma; parallel to lemmas (1), or gaping (58). Lower glume lanceolate (56), or ovate (8); 0.4-0.6381-1 length of upper glume; hyaline (1), or membranous (56), or chartaceous (1), or scarious (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute (54), or acuminate (8); muticous (58), or mucronate (1). Upper glume lanceolate (55), or oblong (1), or ovate (6), or obovate (1); 0.3-0.9897-2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline (1), or membranous (57), or scarious (1); with undifferentiated margins (57), or hyaline margins (2); 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex entire (58), or erose (1); truncate (1), or obtuse (1), or acute (50), or acuminate (6), or setaceously attenuate (4); muticous (55), or mucronate (5).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma linear (2), or lanceolate (15), or elliptic (37), or oblong (3), or ovate (16), or obovate (5); laterally compressed; not gibbous (57), or gibbous (2); lanceolate in profile (6/21), or elliptic in profile (8/21), or oblong in profile (2/21), or ovate in profile (5/21); cartilaginous (58), or coriaceous (1); of similar consistency on margins (58), or much thinner on margins (1); keeled; wingless (58), or winged on margins (1); 3 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness (54), or scaberulous (4), or scabrous (2); eciliate (34), or ciliolate (3), or ciliate (20), or pubescent (6). Lemma surface smooth (54), or scabrous (5), or tuberculate (1); without grooves (58), or with 2 longitudinal grooves (1); glabrous (54), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (7), or pilose (3); hairy on back (8/10), or between veins (2/10); with simple hairs (8/10), or tubercle-based hairs (1/10), or clavate hairs (1/10); without hair tufts (58), or with conspicuous apical hairs (1). Lemma margins flat (58), or involute (1); eciliate (11), or ciliolate (7), or ciliate (36), or pubescent (8). Lemma apex entire (52), or dentate (6), or lobed (1); 2 -fid (7/7); incised 0.1-0.2017-0.33 of lemma length; emarginate (2/46), or truncate (2/46), or obtuse (19/46), or acute (26/46), or acuminate (2/46); muticous (3), or mucronate (3), or awned (58); 1 -awned (56/58), or 3 -awned (2/58). Principal lemma awn apical (2), or subapical (49), or from a sinus (7), or dorsal (1); straight, or curved (1). Lateral lemma awns shorter than principal (2/2). Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined (3/3). Palea keels separated (58), or approximate (1); eciliate (57), or ciliolate (2). Apical sterile florets 1 in number (34/58), or 2 in number (16/58), or 3 in number (13/58), or 4 in number (4/58), or 5 in number (1/58); male (2/58), or barren (57/58); separate (39/58), or in a clump (19/58); linear (2/58), or lanceolate (10/58), or elliptic (10/58), or oblong (15/58), or ovate (1/58), or orbicular (1/58), or cuneate (23/58). Apical sterile lemmas muticous (8/58), or mucronate (2/58), or awned (54/58).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2 (58/58); fleshy (58/58). Anthers 3. Stigmas 2 (58/58).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (58), or tardily free pericarp (1); fusiform (3/34), or ellipsoid (26/34), or oblong (1/34), or ovoid (4/34), or obovoid (6/34); laterally compressed (1/33), or dorsally compressed (32/33); trigonous (56/56); smooth (1/1); apex unappendaged (1/1). Embryo 0.66-0.705-0.75 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform (23/23).

Distribution

Africa (21), or Temperate Asia (8), or Tropical Asia (13), or Australasia (11), or Pacific (6), or North America (13), or South America (26).

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets laterally compressed, with 1 fertile floret, sometimes with a smaller male floret, the rhachilla terminating in 1 or more reduced lemmas; glumes acute; fertile lemma keeled, cartilaginous to coriaceous, mostly pallid, often decoratively ciliate on the margins, entire or bilobed, comspicuously awned from the tip or just below it

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Grain ellipsoid and trigonous to lanceolate and subterete, the pericarp free (though sometimes reluctantly).

Distribution

About 55 species in tropical and warm temperate regions of both hemispheres.

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes digitate or rarely crowded on an elongated axis, the spikelets pectinate or appressed

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips And S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Tufted, rhizomatous or stoloniferous perennials or annuals

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades linear, flat or folded, acute to acuminate or obtuse; ligule membranous, short, ciliolate; sheaths rounded or keeled and flabellate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of few–many slender, typically digitate spikes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 2–4(–6)-flowered, shortly pedicelled or subsessile, alternate, in 2 rows on a tough rhachis; glumes unequal, membranous, usually lanceolate in side view, 1-nerved, acute, acuminate or with an awn-point, usually persistent; lowest floret hermaphrodite; lemma cartilaginous (coriaceous in C. lamproparia), mostly laterally compressed and keeled, usually ciliate on the margins and keel, entire or 2-lobed at the apex with a subapical awn; callus rounded or pungent, ciliate; 2nd–6th florets sterile, sometimes ♂, rarely hermaphrodite, embraced by or projecting from the side of the lowest floret; lemmas ± reduced or vestigial, awned or awnless; paleas usually absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis ellipsoid to linear, usually trigonous, occasionally dorsally compressed.

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Morphology General Habit

Perennial. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 10-90 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes digitate; unilateral. Rhachis deciduous from axis; angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 4-8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 4-8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.5 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma ovate; chartaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

Distribution

Africa, or Temperate Asia, or Tropical Asia.

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips And S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Stoloniferous perennials

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades linear, flat, tapering to a fine acuminate tip; ligule membranous, truncate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of several slender racemes arranged digitately at the top of the culm or scattered along a central axis

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets several-flowered, plump, subsessile or shortly pedicelled, disarticulating above the glumes but not between the florets; glumes persistent, membranous, unequal, shorter than the lemmas; lemmas broad, rounded on the back, 5–11-nerved with the nerves slightly shorter than the lemma, tough and cartilaginous at least in part, appressed villous with the hairs usually ± concentrated in 3–6 longitudinal rows, the central nerve extended into a stout awn or awn-point normally arising from the back below the emarginate or 2-lobed tip, rarely arising from the sinus

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Grain smooth, light brown, strongly dorso-ventrally flattened, enclosed within a free hyaline pericarp

Distribution

Species 2; eastern and south-eastern Africa.

Gramineae, T. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:2. 1999

Morphology General Habit

Inflorescence composed of several slender racemes, these digitate or subdigitate at the top of the culm or scattered along a central axis.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets several-flowered, plump, subsessile or shortly pedicelled, alternate in 2 rows, disarticulating above the glumes but not between the florets, the 2–4 lowermost florets fertile, the remainder progressively smaller and sterile; glumes persistent, membranous, unequal, shorter than the lemmas; lemmas broad, dorsally rounded, 5–11-nerved, with the lateral nerves confluent at the base, the inner ones confluent at the apex, the body tough and cartilaginous at least in part, appressed clavate-villous with the hairs usually concentrated in 3–6 longitudinal rows, the central nerve extended into a short awn or awn-point normally arising from the back below the emarginate or 2-lobed apex, rarely from the sinus.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis strongly flattened, with free pericarp.

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Morphology General Habit

Perennial. Stolons present. Culms erect (1), or decumbent; 22-47.5-75 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes digitate (1), or borne along a central axis (1); unilateral. Rhachis subterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; contiguous (1), or lax (1); 2 -rowed (1/1). Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile (1), or pedicelled (1).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 4-7 fertile florets, or 8-10 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic (1), or orbicular (1), or cuneate (1); laterally compressed; 5-7.1-11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Floret callus truncate.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 4-7 fertile florets, or 8-10 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic (1), or orbicular (1), or cuneate (1); laterally compressed; 5-7.1-11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Floret callus truncate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.6-0.675-0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels (1), or 1-keeled (1); 0 -veined (1), or 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute (1), or acuminate (1). Upper glume oblong (1), or ovate (1); 0.6-0.675-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels (1), or 1-keeled (1); 1-3 -veined (1). Upper glume apex emarginate (1), or obtuse (1), or acute (1).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma elliptic (1), or ovate (1), or obovate (1); chartaceous (1), or coriaceous (1); without keel; 5-6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined, or 8-11 -veined (1). Lemma lateral veins obscure (1), or distinct (1). Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on back (1), or between veins (1); with simple hairs (1), or capitate hairs (1). Lemma apex entire (1), or dentate (1); 2 -fid (1/1); emarginate (1/1); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; straight (1), or flexuous (1). Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels wingless (1), or winged (1); ciliolate (1), or ciliate (1). Palea surface glabrous (1), or pubescent (1). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2; fleshy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; flattened; biconvex; smooth.

Distribution

Africa.