Poaceae
Chloris

Chloris pectinata Benth.

First published in Fl. Austral. 7: 612 (1878)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Australia. It is an annual and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 20-75 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 5-15 cm long; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 4-13; digitate; ascending, or spreading; unilateral; 5-11 cm long. Rhachis subterete; scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular. Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets, or 2 fertile florets (rarely); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3-6.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets, or 2 fertile florets (rarely); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3-6.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.4-2.5 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; 2.9-4.3 mm long; 0.7-0.9 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 linear, or lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3-6.2 mm long; cartilaginous; grey, or black; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma margins eciliate, or pubescent; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 0.5-1 mm long; incised 0.15-0.2 of lemma length; acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 6-37 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; elliptic; 1.7-2.9 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas lobed; 2 -fid; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 4-10 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.6 mm long. Stigmas 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed; trigonous; 2.3 mm long.
Distribution
Australasia: Australia.
Reference
Cynodonteae. Anderson.
Diagnostic
Sterile lemma lobed 0.25-0.5 its length.
[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

    • 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 2024. 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 2024. 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