Bambusa macrolemma

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 20 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement one. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or ciliate; 5 mm long. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base truncate, or broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 25–33 cm long; 40–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; 2–4 cm between clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 15–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; 4 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume margins ciliate. Upper glume margins ciliate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 12 mm long; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex attenuate. Palea keels eciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 5.5 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; pubescent on apex.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Holttum 1996.

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