Bambusa kingiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 2000–2500 cm long; 70–100 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; erose. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.5–0.7 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 25–30 cm long; 25–35 mm wide; glandular. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with 20–28 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth; puberulous; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; antrorsely scabrous.

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; leafy between clusters.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 12 mm long; 5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; clavate; 2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume ovate. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 5 mm long; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 4 -veined. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gamble 1995.

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