Poaceae
Chloris

Chloris ruahensis Renvoize

First published in Kew Bull. 28: 195 (1973)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual. Culms erect; 20-40 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 4-9 cm long; 2-2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 4-5; digitate; unilateral; 4-5 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; bearded; acute.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; bearded; acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5-3 mm long; 0.7-1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; ovate in profile; 2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 9.5-10 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate. Apical sterile lemmas glabrous; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns subapical; 10 mm long; 2 per spikelet in number.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; trigonous. Hilum punctiform.
Distribution
Africa: east tropical.
Reference
Cynodonteae. FTEA.
[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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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

Morphology General Habit
Delicate annual; culms up to 40 cm. high, erect.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades pilose, flat, narrow, 4–9 cm. long, 2–2.5 mm. wide, keeled, tapering at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence of 4–5 digitate purplish spikes 4–5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 3-flowered, 3-awned, the awns curved outwards; glumes lanceolate, acuminate, membranous; lower glume 2.5–3 mm. long; upper glume 3–3.2 mm. long; lowest lemma ovate-elliptic in side view, 2.5 mm. long, pallid, appressed ciliate on the lateral nerves and keel, the awn 9.5–10 mm. long; callus pointed; 2nd and 3rd lemmas reduced to glabrous clavate appendages bearing awns 10 mm. long.
Habitat
Wooded grassland; 810 m.
Distribution
T7 not known elsewhere
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • 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

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • 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 2026. 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 2026. 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