Poaceae
Chloris

Chloris wightiana Nees ex Steud.

First published in Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 206 (1854)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. India, Malesia. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms 10-30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2-4 cm long; 4-6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle glabrous. Racemes 3-4; digitate; erect; unilateral; 1-2.5 cm long. Rhachis subterete; pilose on surface (tuberculately). Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular. Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.7-3.1 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.7-3.1 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2-2.5 mm long; 0.8-1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2-3 mm long; 0.75-1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.7-3.1 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface tuberculate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 7.5-10 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 3-4 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate; 1.4-1.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas pilose; adorned on keel (tuberculate on surface); truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 6-7 mm long; 3-4 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, or ovoid; dorsally compressed; trigonous; 1-3 mm long.
Distribution
Asia-tropical: India.
Reference
Cynodonteae. Anderson.
[GB]

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