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Key to Chloris

Poaceae

Chloris

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1 Inflorescence verticillate, typically with 10-16 panicle branches in 2-5 verticils (whorls)
1 Inflorescence digitate, with 2-10 branches in a single verticil (whorl) at the apex of the culm.
  2 Spikelets with 1 lower bisexual floret and 2 or more sterile/staminate florets (these obviously differing from the single lower fertile floret).
    3 Lemma apices not truncate, instead rounded to acute (sometimes the second sterile or staminate floret truncate, but not also the lower bisexual floret, as in C. barbata).
      4 Lowest lemmas conspicuously pubescent on the margins (at least distally); lemma margins sometimes grooved but not conspicuously inrolled.
        5 Second sterile floret not strongly inflated or only somewhat inflated apically.
          6 Spikelets tawny, strongly imbricate; [widespread non-native]
          6 Spikelets pale to dark grey, barely imbricate; [waif, s. TX]
  2 Spikelets with 1 lower bisexual floret and 1 additional sterile or staminate floret.
               8 Awns of the lemma diminuitive, 0.3-1.5 mm long, the lemma almost appearing mucronate.
               8 Awns of the lemma longer (and more apparent), 1.9- 37 mm long (sometimes the awn of the sterile or staminate floret reduced or smaller but the spikelets with at least some longer or well-developed awns).
                   10 Plants perennial; lowest lemma 1.9-2.7 mm long, with appressed pubescence, the hairs < 1 mm long; [native, c. and s. TX southward]
                   10 Plants annual; lowest lemma (2.3-) 2.5-4.2 mm long, the margins either appressed pubescent (C. pilosa) or pilose with conspicuously longer distal hairs > 1.5 mm long (C. virgata); [non-native, widespread or waif].
                     11 Panicles with 5-9 distinct branches; spikelets barely imbricate, pale to dark grey and often mottled when mature; lower lemma awns to 6 mm long; lower glumes 1.1-1.6 mm long; [waif, s. TX]
                     11 Panicles with 4-20 distinct branches, the spikelets strongly imbricate, not mottled; lower lemma awns 2.5-15 mm long; lower glumes 1.5-2.5 mm long; [non-native, widespread]
                 9 Lowest lemma margins and keels glabrous or scabrous, sometimes with a few short hairs concentrated distally but not pubescent throughout.
                       12 Lemma apices conspicuously bilobed (both the lower bisexual and upper staminate); spikelets pectinate, diverging at a wide angle from branch axes
                            14 Lowest lemmas elliptic to obovate, 2.0-5.4 mm long; sheaths glabrous, scabrous or somewhat pilose; culms to 100 cm
                              15 Plants annual; lower glumes 0.7-1.6 mm long; lowest lemmas 2.8-3.3 mm long; [FL]
                              15 Plants perennial; lower glumes 2.7-3.0 mm long; lowest lemmas 3.7-4.3 mm long; [TX]