Chloris pectinata Benth. Fl. Austral. 7: 612 (1878).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: LT: Giles s.n., Australia: Northern Territory: Charlotte Waters (K; ILT: MEL). LT designated by ?.
ST: Armit 188, 20 Mar 1875, Australia: Queensland: Cook Distr: Cashmere (MEL).
Key references (books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (612), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (217), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central Australia (464), [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), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (184).
Illustrations: [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (221, Pl. 65), [1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland (156(5)), [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig. 41A, Fig. 43C), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (345, Fig. 277), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (184).
Habit. Annual. Culms erect or decumbent, 10–75 cm tall. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane or a ciliate membrane, 0.8–1.2 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long, 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth or scaberulous.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches.
Spikelets. Spikelets sessile or pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile floret (1–3), comprising 1–3 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex, cuneate, laterally compressed, 3–6.2 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 2.5–4.3 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous or scabrous.
Florets. Fertile lemma 3–6.2 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate or lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 6–37 mm long overall. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 1.7–2.3 mm long.
Continental Distribution: Australasia.
Australian Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales.
Western Australia: Dampier. Canning, Fortescue, Ashburton. Northern Territory: Barkly Tableland, Central Australia North, Central Australia South. South Australia: North-western, Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens Basin, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Northern Lofty, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty. Queensland: Burke, Cook, Gregory North, Leichhardt, Maranoa, Mitchell, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy, Warrego, Gregory South. New South Wales: North-Western Plains, North Far Western Plains.
Notes. Endemic; occurs in inland Australia S of 16°S (S and E Kimberleys and Pilbara region in W.A., eastern N. T., lower rainfall areas of Qld, NW N.S.W. and NE S.A.), reaching the coast in parts of Qld and W.A. Mostly in depressions, flood-outs and other better-watered sites on extensive cracking clay plains, but also known from lighter textured reddish-brown and sandy soils. Found in woodlands, shrublands and grasslands, sometimes dominant. Has probably spread along stock routes.
Chloris pilosa* Schum. & Thonn. Beskr. Guin. Pl. 55. (1827). Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: HT: Thonning 371, Africa: Guinea (C (photo, K, US)).
Key references (books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Illustrations: [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig. 44D).
Habit. Annual or perennial. Stolons absent or present. Culms erect or geniculately ascending or decumbent, 50–105 cm tall. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane or a ciliate membrane, 0.4–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades flat or conduplicate, 11–35 cm long, 1.5–5 mm wide.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches.
Spikelets. Spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile floret (1–3), comprising 1–3 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex, cuneate, laterally compressed, 2.5–3 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 2–3.3 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface smooth or papillose.
Florets. Fertile lemma 2.5–3.3 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex entire or lobed, muticous or mucronate or awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn subapical, 2.5–5 mm long overall. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 1.3–1.7 mm long.
Continental Distribution: Africa and Australasia.
Australian Distribution: Northern Territory.
Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf.
Notes. Awned variants are known from Africa but have not been recorded in Australia to date. Aside from the bristles normally taking the place of awns, features distinguishing C. pilosa from other species occurring in Australia are the 2 inflated, truncate, dissimilar, closely appressed imperfect florets; broad lower lemmas and the relatively short submarginal hairs.
Probably introduced; known only from northern part of the N.T., within 200 km of Darwin, though possibly also in Qld; tropical W Africa. Occurring in cultivation and disturbed areas.
