Guadua

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent (2), or short (30), or elongated (1); pachymorph (31/31). Culms erect (20/29), or geniculately ascending (1/29), or arching (5/29), or leaning (2/29), or scandent (5/29); 300–1213–3000 cm long; firm (1), or woody (32); without nodal roots (2/24), or with aerial roots from the nodes (1/24), or with root thorns from the nodes (22/24). Culm-internodes terete (25/31), or semiterete (6/31). Culm-nodes without obvious supra-nodal ridge (2/8), or with distinct supra-nodal ridge (6/8). Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement one (7/25), or two (10/25), or three (15/25), or several (10/25), or many (1/25); solitary (1/6), or in a horizontal line (1/6), or in a clump (4/6); with 1 branch dominant (9/9); thinner than stem (12/12). Culm-sheaths persistent (3/15), or tardily deciduous (1/15), or deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle (1/15), or deciduous (11/15); without auricles (14/17), or auriculate (6/17). Culm-sheath blade inconspicuous (1/21), or lanceolate (4/21), or ovate (2/21), or triangular (15/21); as wide as sheath at base (2/2). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (25), or erect (3), or falcate (6). Ligule an eciliate membrane (22), or a ciliolate membrane (14). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades persistent (30), or deciduous at the ligule (3); linear (11), or lanceolate (31), or elliptic (1), or oblong (4), or ovate (2). Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous (7/7). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (24), or with obscure cross veins (1), or with distinct cross veins (9).

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence simple (1/27), or bractiferous (26/27); scanty (9/26), or paniculate (1/26), or globose (1/26), or clustered at the nodes (16/26); in untidy tufts (15/15); with glumaceous subtending bracts (25/26), or spathaceous subtending bracts (1/26); with axillary buds at base of spikelet (20/20); leafy between clusters (5/16), or leafless between clusters (9/16), or leafless between branches (2/16). Inflorescence a panicle (1/1).

Spikelets appressed (3/4), or ascending (4/4), or spreading (1/4), or deflexed (1/4). Fertile spikelets sessile (27/27).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets (5/5), or 2 basal sterile florets (4/5); 1–6–17 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension (1/27), or with diminished florets at the apex (27/27). Spikelets linear (17/27), or lanceolate (10/27), or elliptic (1/27), or oblong (3/27); laterally compressed (19/27), or subterete (8/27); 3–37.8–170 mm long; breaking up at maturity (27/27); disarticulating below each fertile floret (27/27). Rhachilla internodes definite (26/26); glabrous (19/26), or pubescent (7/26).

GLUMES Glumes two (6/23), or several (17/23); persistent (21/23), or deciduous (2/23); shorter than spikelet (23/23). Lower glume ovate (7/7); 0.25–0.5167–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous (1/4), or coriaceous (3/4); without keels (3/3); 7–9 -veined (2/4), or 10 -veined (1/4), or 11 -veined (3/4), or 12–13 -veined (2/4), or 14–17 -veined (1/4). Lower glume surface smooth (22/23), or asperulous (1/23); without pits (23/23); glabrous (21/23), or pubescent (2/23). Lower glume apex obtuse (3/6), or acute (4/6), or rostrate (1/6); muticous (6/7), or mucronate (1/7). Upper glume lanceolate (2/17), or ovate (16/17); 0.5–0.65–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous (11/11); without keels (12/12); 7–9 -veined (2/9), or 10 -veined (1/9), or 11–12 -veined (6/9), or 13 -veined (7/9), or 14–15 -veined (6/9), or 16–17 -veined (5/9), or 18–19 -veined (1/9). Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins (4/4). Upper glume surface smooth (22/23), or asperulous (1/23); glabrous (20/23), or puberulous (3/23), or pubescent (3/23). Upper glume apex obtuse (2/13), or acute (11/13), or rostrate (1/13); muticous (12/17), or mucronate (5/17).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren (5/5); with palea (4/5), or without significant palea (2/5). Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (2/5), or elliptic (1/5), or ovate (3/5); chartaceous (2/2); 10–14 -veined (1/4), or 15–16 -veined (2/4), or 17–20 -veined (1/4), or 23–27 -veined (1/4); obtuse (1/4), or acuminate (3/4); mucronate (5/5). Fertile lemma lanceolate (5/25), or elliptic (1/25), or ovate (22/25); coriaceous (26/26); without keel (26/26); wingless (27/27); 7–17–30 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure (1/5), or prominent (4/5). Lemma surface smooth (26/27), or scaberulous (1/27); unwrinkled (27/27); without grooves (27/27); glabrous (18/27), or puberulous (6/27), or pubescent (6/27), or pilose (2/27). Lemma margins flat (26/27), or convolute (1/27); exposing palea (26/27), or covering most of palea (1/27); eciliate (21/27), or ciliolate (3/27), or ciliate (3/27). Lemma apex obtuse (2/25), or acute (17/25), or acuminate (3/25), or apiculate (3/25); muticous (15/27), or mucronate (12/27), or awned (2/27); 1 -awned (1/1). Palea 0.75–0.9729–1 length of lemma; 6 -veined (1/9), or 8 -veined (2/9), or 9 -veined (6/9), or 10–11 -veined (5/9), or 12 -veined (3/9), or 13 -veined (2/9). Palea keels wingless (1/27), or winged (26/27); eciliate (17/27), or pubescent (1/27), or ciliolate (6/27), or ciliate (3/27). Palea surface glabrous (21/27), or puberulous (1/27), or pubescent (5/27). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (23/27), or distinct from fertile (4/27); 1 in number (3/3); barren (1/1); rudimentary (2/3), or linear (1/3).

FLOWER Lodicules 3 (27/27); membranous (3/3); glabrous (20/27), or ciliate (7/27). Anthers 3 (2/26), or 6 (24/26). Stigmas 3 (26/26). Ovary unappendaged (20/27), or umbonate (7/27); pubescent on apex (2/3), or pubescent all over (1/3).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (25/26), or fleshy pericarp (1/26); fusiform (4/7), or oblong (2/7), or ovoid (1/7), or obovoid (1/7). Embryo 0.2–0.2875–0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear (1/1); 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America (7), or South America (31).

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.