Poaceae
Chloris

Chloris rufescens Lag.

First published in Varied. Ci. 2(4): 143 (1805)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mexico to Central America. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Stolons present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 40-80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.5-1 mm long. Leaf-blades 7-15 cm long; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 4-8; digitate; unilateral; 4-8.5 cm long. Rhachis subterete; scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular. 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; 3.4-4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3.4-4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.8-2.3 mm long; 0.5-0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3-4.1 mm long; 0.9-1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; laterally compressed; 3.4-4.5 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent; with simple hairs. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma hairs 0.5-1 mm long. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 6-12 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; cuneate; 1.2-2.4 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 5-7 mm long; 1 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; dorsally compressed; trigonous; 1.5-1.9 mm long.
Distribution
North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.
Reference
Cynodonteae. =Chloris aristata. 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

    • '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