Bambusa brevispicula

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 20 cm long; distally hispid; with reflexed hairs. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three; with subequal branches. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate; 2.5 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–25 cm long; 28–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; 0.5–1 cm between clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3 mm long; without keel. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea 4 mm long. Palea keels approximate; ciliolate. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Rhachilla extension 2 mm long; pilose. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; male; elliptic; 2 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; ciliate. Anthers 6; 3 mm long; anther tip apiculate. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Holttum 1996.

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