Aulonemia subpectinata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect, or leaning; 200–600 cm long; 5–10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes without obvious supra-nodal ridge. Lateral branches dendroid. Bud complement 1. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 10–20 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 10–15 cm long; 10–40 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; 30–50 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex obtuse.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. WDC 2001.

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