Poaceae
Chloris

Chloris suringarii Hitchc.

First published in I.Urban, Symb. Antill. 7: 167 (1912)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Bonaire, Curaçao. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms 5-15 cm long. Leaf-sheaths 0.5-1 cm long; striately veined; pilose. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 1-2 cm long; 0.2-0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex obtuse to acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; paired; unilateral; 1-2.5 cm long. Rhachis subterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 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; 1.7-2.5 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; 1.7-2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1-1.5 mm long; 0.4-0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.3-3 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; laterally compressed; 1.7-2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma hairs 0.7 mm long. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; straight, or curved; 2-3 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 3 in number; barren; in a clump; lanceolate; 1 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas acute; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns dorsal; 1.5-2 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; ovoid; dorsally compressed; trigonous; 1.2 mm long.
Distribution
South America: Caribbean.
Reference
Cynodonteae. Anderson.
[GB]

Sources

  • 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

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. 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 2023. 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