Poaceae
Chloris

Chloris sesquiflora Burkart

First published in Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 12: 287 (1968)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Paraguay to NE. Argentina. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Stolons present. Culms geniculately ascending; 30-45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10-20 cm long; 4-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth to scabrous; rough on both sides.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 4-5; digitate; arcuate; unilateral; 6-6.5 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 11 spikelets per cm. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.1-2.9 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 ovate; laterally compressed; 2.1-2.9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.1-2.2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.7-2.9 mm long; 1-1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; laterally compressed; 2.1-2.9 mm long; 0.9-1.1 mm wide; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate and pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate and pubescent. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 0.7-1 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; elliptic; 1 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 0.3-0.5 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.7 mm long. Stigmas 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; trigonous.
Distribution
South America: southern South America.
Reference
Cynodonteae. Anderson 1997.
[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]

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