Arthrostylidium canaliculatum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms slender; 600 cm long; 4–5 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 100 cm long. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; in a clump; subtended by a bare patch above the node. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 5.5–9 cm long; 12–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate, or attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; straight; bilateral; 8–12 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 15–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 11–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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