Grasses, Sedges, Cattails, and Allies of Zihuatanejo

ORDER POALES

-Grasses Family Poaceae

-Bristlegrasses, Bluestems, Paspalums, and Allies (Subfamily Panicoideae)

-Bristlegrasses, Rosette Grasses, Barnyard Grasses, and Allies (Tribe Paniceae)

-Tribe Cynodonteae

-Subtribe Eleusininae

-Windmill Grasses (Genus Chloris)

It is commonly found in wet fields, irrigated cropfields, riverbanks, roadsides and ditches. Flowers are found in the form of a terminal spikelet. They are golden brown or straw coloured and grow from the central stem. The floral spikelets grow perpendicular to the flowerstalk with spikes narrow, linear and flat.

Description

• Chloris is a genus of grasses in the grass family (Poaceae), commonly known as windmill grasses or finger grasses. These grasses are typically annual or perennial, with narrow leaves and slender stems. Their distinctive flower heads have several narrow spikes radiating outward from a central point, often resembling a windmill or the fingers of a hand. Individual species vary in size, growth habit, and spike arrangement.

Range

• Chloris species occur naturally across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with some extending into warm temperate areas. Several species are native to Mexico. The genus is represented in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.

Habitat

• Species of Chloris commonly grow in open, sunny environments, including grasslands, savannas, roadsides, fields, coastal areas, and disturbed ground. Many tolerate seasonal drought and thrive in warm climates, often growing in exposed or frequently disturbed soils.