Poaceae
Chloris

Chloris lobata Lazarides

First published in Austral. J. Bot., Suppl. Ser. 5: 20 (1972)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is N. Australia. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 15-45 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 8-15 cm long; 0.2-0.6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 3-9; digitate; unilateral; 2.5-6 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4-5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4-5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.6-2.5 mm long; 0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.6-3.9 mm long; 0.6-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; elliptic in profile; 4-5 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 3-10.5 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2-6 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea fused below to rhachilla internode. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; lanceolate; 1-2 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 2 -fid (to base); awned; 3 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 3-8 mm long; 3 per spikelet in number.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; trigonous; 1.7-2.4 mm long. Hilum punctiform.
Distribution
Australasia: Australia.
Reference
Cynodonteae. Anderson.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0