| Synonyms: |
Chloris abyssinica Hochst. ex A. Rich. Chloris glabrata Andersson |
| Common names: | Rhodes grass (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Stoloniferous perennial up to 150 cm tall, erect or geniculately ascending, sometimes rooting from the nodes; leaf laminas 5–30 cm × 1.3–6 mm, flat or rarely involute, tapering to a fine point.Inflorescence of 4–11 digitate racemes 7–10 cm long.Spikelets 3–4-flowered, 2-awned; inferior glume 1.6–2 mm long; superior glume 2.4–3.4 mm long; floret callus rounded; fertile lemma 2.6–3.6 mm long, lanceolate-ovate in profile, pallid, sparsely to densely ciliate on the margins and keel, the awn 3.4–7 mm long; 2nd lemma 1.5–3 mm long, lanceolate, rarely ciliate on the margins, the awn 1.5–5.5 mm long; 3rd lemma reduced to an awnless glabrous clavate scale 0.75–2 mm long, occasionally the 3rd lemma similar to the second, but then with a rudimentary 4th floret. |
| Type location: |
Senegal |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | gayana: after Claude Gay, 1800-1873, French natural historian. |
| Habitat: | Widespread in grassland on fertile soils at medium altitudes in higher rainfall areas and at low altitudes in moist soils of floodplains, lake shores and river banks |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 0 - 1710 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | South Africa, tropical Africa, introduced and naturalized elsewhere |
| FZ divisions: | N,Z,T,MS,GI,M |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Cope, T.A. (1999). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(2) Page 213. Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 33. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 101. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 62 - 63. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 132. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 27. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 187. |