Bambusa cerosissima

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; pendulous at the tip; 1000–1500 cm long; 40–50 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 40–60 cm long; glaucous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; with subequal branches. Culm-sheaths glaucous; pubescent; with erect hairs; auriculate; setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade narrowly ovate; reflexed; pubescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 15–20 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 10–14 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy abaxially. 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 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes several.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 9 mm long; shiny; without keel; rounded except near apex. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels eciliate. Palea apex truncate, or obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 6; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; pubescent on apex.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Bambuseae. McClure 1996.

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