Bambusa longispiculata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 1200–1500 cm long; 40–80 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 10–20 cm long; mid-green. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three, or several; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous; hispid; with black hairs; auriculate; ciliate on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade ovate; as wide as sheath at base. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–25 cm long; 20–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy abaxially.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 40–70 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; 4–10 mm long; pilose; hairy at tip.

GLUMES Glumes several; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; without keels. Upper glume ovate; without keels.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–30 mm long; without keel. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 10–19 mm long. Palea keels wingless. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 6; 10 mm long. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl Meso-Am 1997.

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