Parabambusa

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms leaning; 1500–2000 cm long; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three, or several; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle; auriculate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; narrower than sheath. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; with spathaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; leafless between clusters.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 25–52 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; without keel; wingless. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acuminate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Tropical Asia.

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