Common name: Winged Chloris
Oxychloris scariosa (F.Muell.) Lazarides APNI* Synonyms: Chloris scariosa F.Muell. APNI*
Description: Erect annual or short-lived perennial to 0.5 m high; culms simple or branched, 5–7-noded, usually terete, wiry.
Leaves with sheath glabrous to very sparsely spreading pubescent; ligule a short ciliate crown; blade to 3.5 mm wide.
Spikes 3–5, each 2–4.5 cm long, erect to somewhat spreading. Spikelets densely clustered, imbricate, 5- or 6-flowered, only lowest floret fertile. Glumes unequal, lower elliptic to linear, 3–5 mm long; upper narrow-oblanceolate to obovate or elliptic, 5–7 mm long, apex 2-fid. Fertile lemma with broad, stiff, membranous, wing-like margins and a sharp-pointed base; awn stout, 7–8 mm long. Second and third lemmas glabrous, elliptic, winged, membranous, with a sharp basal point and awn 4–5 mm long; other lemmas similar but shorter.
Flowering: in response to rain.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows along watercourses and in saline areas.
NSW subdivisions: NWP, NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld W.A. S.A. N.T.
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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