Chloris ventricosa

Loosely tufted or shortly stoloniferous perennial or biennial; culms erect, to c. 80 cm high; leaves glabrous or pilose, often somewhat glaucous; blade flat or folded, scabrous along margins and keel, to 20 cm long and 3 mm wide. Inflorescence an umbel of 3–7 spikes, 4–10 cm long, spreading widely, but often slightly flexuose. Spikelets with 2(–3) florets, the lower bisexual, the upper sterile, blackish at maturity; lower glume 1–1.5 mm, the upper 2–3 mm; fertile lemma very obtuse, exceeding upper glume by 0.5–1.5 mm, glabrous except for callus hair-tuft, hardened and scabrous toward the apex at maturity, awn 4–12 mm long; second (sterile) lemma cuneate, truncate, about half as long as first and enclosed for the greater part by it, awn of second lemma c. 2–5 mm long; third floret (if present) unawned. Flowers recorded Jan., May, Aug.