Bambusa albolineata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; drooping at the tip; 600–800 cm long; 35–55 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 40–80 cm long. Lateral branches dendroid; arising from lower culm. Buds or branches present on lower quarter of culm. Branch complement many; in a clump; with 3 branches dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous; coriaceous; green and white; striped; hispid; with dark brown hairs; asymmetrical at apex; auriculate; with unequal auricles; with 5–7 mm high auricles; with 15 mm wide auricles; setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule 1–1.5 mm high; dentate and ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade narrowly ovate, or triangular; narrower than sheath; erect; acuminate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear; 7–14 cm long; 9–22 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 12–18 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; pilose; hairy abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; with spathaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; with 2-keeled prophylls; leafless between clusters.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20–25 mm long; 4–5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; flattened; 3 mm long; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes several; comprising 2 gemmiferous bracts; 1 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume ovate; 5 mm long; 15–17 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 7–9 mm long; without keel; 17–19 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Palea linear, or lanceolate; 7.5–9.5 mm long; 14 -veined. Palea keels eciliate; adorned above. Palea surface pilose; hairy on margins. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 2–3 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 6; 4 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl China 2005.

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