Aulonemia tremula

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; 400–1000 cm long; 2 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths punctate. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 8–15 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches pilose; with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 5–45 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; 0.5–1 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–1.5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent; hairy at apex. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2–3 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy at apex. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5–6.5 mm long; herbaceous; purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

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.