Poaceae
Chloris

Chloris flagellifera (Nees) P.M.Peterson

First published in Taxon 64: 458 (2015)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Sahara to NW. India. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology General Habit
habit Perrenial-stolons present
Morphology Culms
culms decumbent, 10-30(-90) cm long
Morphology Leaves Ligules
ligule a ciliate membrane. leaf-blades conduplicate, (1-)2.5-15 cm long by 2-3 mm wide, glaucous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
inflorescence racemes (2-)3-5, digitate, unilateral,1.5-4.5 cm long
Morphology Leaves Rachis
rhachis deciduous from axis, angular, glabrous on margins
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
spikelets elliptic, or oblong, laterally compressed, breaking up at maturity, disarticulating above glumes but not between florets fertile spikelets sessile, comprising 4-8 fertile florets, with diminished florets at the apex spikelets appressed, solitary spikelet packing broadside to rhachis, crowded
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
upper glume apex acute upper glume oblong, 0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 1-keeled, 3-veined (all in keel) lower glume lateral veins absent, apex acute lower glume oblong, 0.5 length of upper glume, 1-keeled, 1-veined glumes persistent, similar, shorter than spikelet, thinner than fertile lemma
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Lemma
lemma surface glabrous, or pilose, hairy above, margins pubescent, hairy below, apex acute, muticous, or mucronate fertile lemma ovate, 3.8-5.5 mm long, chartaceous, 1-keeled, 3-veined
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Palea
palea keels ciliate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
fruit caryopsis with free soft pericarp.
Ecology
desert and xeric shrubland. altitude unknown
Distribution
Northeast Tropical Africa, Arabian peninsula, Western Asia and Tropical Asia.
Conservation
least concerned
Phenology
Flower (no data), fruit (no data)
[SCG]

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. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 10-30(-90) cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate; (1-)2.5-15 cm long; 2-3 mm wide; glaucous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes (2-)3-5; digitate; unilateral; 1.5-4.5 cm long. Rhachis deciduous from axis; angular; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 4-8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 4-8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.5 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined (all in keel). Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 3.8-5.5 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy above. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.
Distribution
Africa: north and northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia. Asia-tropical: India.
Reference
Eragrostideae. WDC.
[GB]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General
Sprawling perennial with stolons up to 1 m long and prostrate or ascending stems up to 40 cm high; leaves glaucous, flat or inrolled, short, stiff and pungent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes 2–4 cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 3- to 8-flowered, 6–8 mm long; lower glume 2.5–3 mm long; upper glume 3.6–5.6 mm long; lemmas 4–5.6 mm long.
Distribution
N1; S2 through Arabia to Pakistan and north-west India.
Ecology
Altitude range 0–430 m.
Vernacular
Hari hari (Somali).
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • 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

  • Seed Collection Guides

    • Seed Collection Guides
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0