Chloris, Swartz, 1788

Landge, Shahid Nawaz & Shinde, Rajendra D., 2022, Lectotypification of Chloris montana (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) and taxonomic notes on a few species from India, Phytotaxa 550 (3), pp. 243-252 : 249

Key to the species of Chloris occurring in India

1. Spikes indefinite in number (usually 50 or more) closely appressed along the central axis (rhachis) forming a long inflorescence 15–30 × 4.0–7.0 cm long.......................................................................................................................................... C. roxburghiana

1. Spikes definite in number (less than 15) originating from the common point or sometimes with an inconspicuous rhachis ............. ............................................................................................................................................................................................................2

2. Lemma with a row of distinct glands or tubercles on each side of the mid nerve ............................................................................... ............................................................................................................................ C. prieurii (occurs in Rajasthan, North West India)

2. Lemma eglandular ..............................................................................................................................................................................3

3. Fertile florets (hermaphrodite) 2–8 ....................................................................................................................................................4

3. Fertile florets (hermaphrodite) only 1, very rarely 2 (second floret may be staminate) then mid nerve of the lemma glabrous (except C. wightiana ) ......................................................................................................................................................................................5

4. Fertile lemma distinctly long awned; fertile florets 2–3 in the spikelet.................................... C. bournei (endemic to South India)

4. Lemma muticous, acute or mucronate but never with a considerably long awned; fertile florets 4–8 in the spikelet ........................ .................................................................................................................. C. flagellifera ( North West India in Rajasthan & Gujarat)

5. Whole plant pustulose-pilose, spikes short, hardly ca. 2.5 cm long but considerably broad; lowest lemma distinctly long bearded on the mid nerve (keel)........................................................................................................... C. wightiana (endemic to South India)

5. Only the peduncle below the inflorescence is villous, if not then the entire plant glabrous, spikes ca. 11.5 cm long broad or narrow; lowest lemma glabrous on the keel ....................................................................................................................................................6

6. Sterile florets above the fertile floret solitary (2 florets in C. virgata ); spikelets 2-awned................................................................7

6. Sterile florets above the fertile floret two to four; spikelets 2–6-awned ............................................................................................9

7. Sterile floret not developed, reduced to an awn; fertile lemma glabrous; apices of leaf blades at least somewhat obtuse ................. ....................................................................................................................................................................................... C. pycnothrix

7. Sterile florets developed not reduced to an awn; fertile lemma pubescent on upper margin; apices of leaf blades distinctly acute... ............................................................................................................................................................................................................8

8. Perennial, elaborately stoloniferous; spikelets with 3–4 florets, awn not exceeding 3.0 mm; upper margin of fertile lemma usually with a tuft of hairs not exceeding 1.5 mm; second floret staminate and subsequent barren ............................................. C. gayana *

8. Annual, tufted usually not stoloniferous; spikelets with 2–3 florets, awn clearly exceeding 5.0 mm; upper margin of fertile lemma with a conspicuous tuft of hairs almost ca. 3.5 mm long; second and subsequent florets barren ....................................... C. virgata

9. Peduncle pubescent or villous below the inflorescence to some distance; spikelets 4–5 (–6)-awned .............................................10

9. Peduncle completely glabrous; spikelets 3–5-awned .......................................................................................................................11

10. Spikes narrow, closely associated (almost appressed); sterile florets usually glabrous on the upper margins (rarely only somewhat pubescent) and not usually spherically inflated............................................................................................................ C. montana **

10. Spikes broad, widely spreading; sterile florets consistently with apical marginal pubescence and always remarkably gibbous/ spherically inflated ................................................................................................................................................... C. quinquesetica

11. Annual; florets spherically inflated; spikelets usually 3-awned turning blackish on maturity (except glumes).................................. .......................................................................................................................................................... C. barbata (auctt. non. L. 1759)

11. Perennial; sterile florets narrow, not spherically inflated, usually 4–5-awned turning brown at maturity ...................... C. montana

*Sometimes non-stoloniferous and non-caespitose.

**Sometimes sterile lemmas are somewhat gibbous with a dense apical marginal pubescence.