Chloris texensis
Chloris texensis is a species of grass known by the common name Texas windmill grass. It is endemic to Texas in the United States, where it occurs on the coastal prairies.[1]
| Chloris texensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Chloris |
| Species: | C. texensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Chloris texensis Nash | |
This perennial grass forms clumps of stems up to 30 to 45 centimeters tall. The leaf blades are up to 15 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a panicle with several long, spreading branches arranged in a whorl. Each branch is up to 20 centimeters long and has 3 to 4 spikelets per centimeter along the distal part.[2] Flowering occurs in October and November.[3]
This plant grows on sparsely vegetated stretches of coastal prairie, often at mima mounds. Other plants located around these mounds include Hymenoxys texana, Thurovia triflora, and Rayjacksonia aurea.[3] It may also be associated with the rare Machaeranthera aurea.[1]
This plant is threatened with the loss of its habitat due to development, especially in the Houston area.[1][3]
References
- Chloris texensis. The Nature Conservancy.
- Chloris texensis. Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Grass Manual Treatment.
- Chloris texensis. Archived 2011-10-26 at the Wayback Machine Center for Plant Conservation.