Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.

radiate fingergrass, plushgrass


Info

Subfamily: Chloridoideae
Genus etymology: Chloris = Goddess of vegetation [Greek], generally used to refer to a pale green color
Species etymology: radiata = "spoke possessing" [Latin] refering to the inflorescence branches radiating like the spokes of a wheel
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: naturalized - accidental
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1851

Map

 Distribution of Chloris radiata in Hawaiʻi.
 Distribution of Chloris radiata in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Chloris radiata Inflorescence
Chloris radiata Inflorescence
Chloris radiata Inflorescence
Chloris radiata Inflorescence
Chloris radiata Inflorescence
Chloris radiata Inflorescence

Plant

Chloris radiata Plant
Chloris radiata Plant

Habit

Chloris radiata Habit
Chloris radiata Habit

Spikelets

Chloris radiata Spikelets
Chloris radiata Spikelets
Chloris radiata Spikelets
Chloris radiata Spikelets
Chloris radiata Spikelets
Chloris radiata Spikelets
Chloris radiata Spikelets

Description

Plants annual; with dense fibrous root growth, not stoloniferous. Culms 30-60 cm, erect or decumbent, occasionally rooting at the lower nodes. Sheaths usually glabrous, occasionally pilose; ligules membranous, shortly ciliate; blades 10-30 cm long, to 10 mm wide, sometimes with long basal hairs, usually pilose elsewhere, occasionally glabrous or scabrous. Panicles with 5-15, evidently distinct branches in 1-2(3) whorls; branches 4.5-8 cm, spikelet-bearing to the base, with 11-15 spikelets per cm distally. Spikelets with 1 bisexual and 1 sterile floret. Lower glumes 0.7-1.6 mm; upper glumes 2-2.7 mm; lowest lemmas 2.8-3.3 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide, lanceolate to elliptic, sides not conspicuously grooved, mostly glabrous, margins shortly ciliate distally, hairs less than 1 mm, apices awned, awns 6-13 mm; second florets 0.4-0.7 long, about 0.1 mm wide, borne on an equally long or longer rachilla segment, not or inconspicuously bilobed, awned, awns 3-5 mm. Caryopses 1.4-1.5 mm long, 0.3-0.4 mm wide, ellipsoidal. 2n = 40.
(Description source: Barkworth, M.E., Capels, K.M., Long, S. & Piep, M.B. (eds.) 2003. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 25. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, Part 2. Oxford University Press, New York. 783 pp. http://floranorthamerica.org/Chloris_radiata )

Loosely tufted annuals; culms decumbent, 25-60 cm tall, glabrous, often purplish at nodes, usually many-branched at base. Sheaths 4-7 cm long, compressed keeled, glabrous or scaberulous, margins usually hyaline; ligule membranous, 0.5-1 mm long, usually lacerate; blades 5-15 cm long, 3-6 mm wide, upper surface retrorsely scabrous and usually sparsely longpilose, marginal nerves thick, apex obtuse. Inflorescences silvery or purple-tinged, solitary, terminal, composed of 1-2 closely spaced whorls of lax spikes, each slender, 3-7 cm long, ascending to erect, pubescent at base, rachis puberulent; spikelets 2-flowered, ca. 3 mm long (excluding awns); glumes narrow, acuminate, keeled, apiculate, with 1 conspicuous scabrous green nerve, first glume 1.2-1.5(-2) mm long, second glume 2-2.5 mm long; first lemma ca. 3 mm long, narrow, compressed, shortpilose at base, margins slightly involute and short-pilose at apex tip, apex acute, bifid, awn slender, 7-10 mm long; palea acute, 2- 2.5 mm long; rudiment of 1 sterile floret nearly included within margins of fertile lemma, 0.5-1 mm long, narrow, acute, awn slender, 2-4 mm long. Caryopsis reddish brown, fusiform, trigonal, 1.5-2 mm long. [2n = 40.]
(Description source: O’Connor, P.J. 1990. Poaceae, pp. 1481–1604. In: Wagner W.L., Herbst D.R. & Sohmer S.H. (eds.)., Manual of the flowering plant of Hawaiʻi. Vol. 2. University of Hawaii Press & Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu )