Bambusa flexuosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 200–1000 cm long; woody; with root thorns from the nodes. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 5.5–7.5 cm long; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface, or hirsute; outer margin glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; deciduous. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–10 cm long; 12–14 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation indistinct; with 6–8 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. 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.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 20–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; eventually visible between lemmas; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes two. Upper glume ovate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6 mm long; without keel; 7–11 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 5–6 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 6; anther tip apiculate. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 4–5 mm long; glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Lecomte 1996.

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