Chloris (plant)

Chloris
Chloris virgata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Chloridoideae
Tribe: Cynodonteae
Subtribe: Eleusininae
Genus: Chloris
Sw.
Type species
Chloris cruciata
Synonyms[2]
  • Agrostomia Cerv.
  • Chlorostis Raf.
  • Joannegria Chiov.
  • Lintonia Stapf
  • Negria Chiov., nom. illeg.
  • Ochthochloa Edgew.
  • Pterochloris (A.Camus) A.Camus

Chloris is a widespread genus of monophyletic grasses belonging to the family Poaceae, known generally as windmill grass or finger grass.[3] The genus is found worldwide, but especially in the tropical and subtropical regions, and more often in the Southern Hemisphere.[3][4] The species are variable in morphology, but in general, the plants are less than 0.5 m in height. They bear inflorescences shaped like umbels, with several plumes lined with rows of spikelets. The genus is characterized by the series of sterile florets above the lowest fertile ones, spikes usually 4–10 in numbers (occasionally 1–2), approximated or in a slightly separated series of 10–20 spikes, rarely an indefinite numbers of terminal spikes (then usually up to 50 or rarely more, as seen in Chloris roxburghiana Schultes).[4][3] In India, 11 species are known to occur in which only two are endemic viz. Chloris wightiana Nees ex Steud. and Chloris bournei Rangachariar & Tadulingam. [4][3]

The genus was named for Chloris of Greek myth, a figure associated with flowers and spring.

  1. ^ Tropicos, Chloris Sw.
  2. ^ Chloris Sw. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Landge, Shahid Nawaz (16 June 2022). "Lectotypification of Chloris montana (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) and taxonomic notes on a few species from India". Phytotaxa. 550 (3): 243–52. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.550.3.4. S2CID 249814433 – via Magnolia Press.
  4. ^ a b c Landge, Shahid Nawaz (14 July 2022). "Lectotypification of Chloris bournei (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) and its distribution in India". Phytotaxa. 554 (3): 293–296. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.554.3.8. S2CID 250564292 – via Magnolia Press.