Ampelocalamus luodianensis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms scandent; 500–1000 cm long; 4–10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 8–20 cm long; distally mealy. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Bud complement 3. Branch complement several (4–11). Culm-sheaths deciduous; 12–17 cm long; 6–8 times as long as wide; green and purple; distinctly mottled with last colour; pilose. Culm-sheath ligule ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; erect; 3–7 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; spreading. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 5 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 5–12 cm long; 7–17 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 6–8 secondary veins. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1–3 fertile spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 12–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2–3 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; chartaceous; 7 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 1.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Yi & Wang 2002.

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