Aulonemia queko

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 800–1000 cm long; 30 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen. Culm-nodes without obvious supra-nodal ridge. Lateral branches dendroid. Bud complement 1. Branch complement many; in a clump. Culm-sheaths setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade linear; reflexed. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 13–20 cm long; 33–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 25–50 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 3 empty glumes; persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3 mm long; 0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume surface puberulous. Lower glume apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 5 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 10 mm long; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 6 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 10–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex obtuse; pungent; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 5 mm long overall. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. McClure 1997.

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