Chloris inflata* Link. Enum. Pl 1:
105 (1821).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: L.A.
von Chamisso s.n., no date, USA:
California: cultivated in Berlin (B (destroyed); IT: US-2830897
(fragm.)).
Recent synonyms: C. barbata auct.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (613 as Chloris
barbata), [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual Grasses New Guinea (as C.inflata),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2006]
J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (344).
Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3
(Fig. 41E & Fig. 43A as C. barbata), [2006] J.Jessop,
G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (344, fig. 276).
Habit. Annual
or perennial. Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent, 20–100 cm tall.
Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a
fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.3–0.6 mm long, truncate. Leaf-blades
4–40 cm long, 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile floret,
comprising 1 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex, cuneate,
laterally compressed, 2–2.5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 1.7–2.5 mm long, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume apex mucronate.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2–2.5 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 1 -awned.
Median (principal) awn subapical, 4.5–7 mm long overall. Palea 2 -nerved.
Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 1.2–2 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific,
and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia,
Queensland, Christmas Is, Cocos Keeling Is,
Ashmore Reef, Coral Sea Is.
Western Australia: Gardner, Dampier.
Fortescue. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Victoria River,
Barkly Tableland, Central Australia North. South Australia: Lake Eyre.
Queensland:
Burke, Cook, Leichhardt, Mitchell, Moreton, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, South
Kennedy, Gregory North.
Notes.
Introduced or native; occurs generally as a weed of cultivation and disturbed
sites in warmer near-coastal areas from the Kimberley area of W.A. around to
Brisbane in Qld, but also collected from roadsides in central Australia;
distributed throughout the tropics of the world.
