Bambusa glabrovagina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 300–700 cm long; 15–40 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots, or with root thorns from the nodes. Culm-internodes terete; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several. Culm-sheaths deciduous; glabrous; truncate at apex; auriculate; with unequal auricles; setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule 1 mm high; dentate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; constricted at base; 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; 3.8–13.2 cm long; 7–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 10–12 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; 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.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 16–29 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; 1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; persistent; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 7.5 mm long; without keel. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 6; 4–4.5 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fu 2002.

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