Arthrostylidium distichum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; slender; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; smooth; distally pubescent. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement one to three; in a clump; subtended by a bare patch above the node; with subequal branches. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths 1 cm long; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 5–15 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 1.5–3 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary.

Racemes 1; single; straight; bilateral; 10–20 cm long; bearing 8–15 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis glabrous on surface. Spikelet packing distant.

Spikelets deflexed; clustered at each node. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 4 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. 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: Caribbean.

NOTES Bambuseae. Pilger 1997.

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