Bambusa cacharensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 2000–2100 cm long; 50–100 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Culm-sheaths 12–15 cm long; 0.5 times as long as wide; yellow; hispid; with tawny hairs; auriculate; ciliate on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade ovate; erect. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 16–20 cm long; 15–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 30–35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes two. Lower glume ovate; 5 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 8 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 10–14 mm long; without keel. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 6.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Bambuseae. Majumdar 2002.

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