Bambusa nepalensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect at the tip, or drooping at the tip; 1000–2000 cm long; 50–100 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 20–40 cm long; distally pruinose. Lateral branches dendroid. Buds or branches absent from lower quarter of culm. Bud complement 1. Branch complement three, or several; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 25 cm long; 0.5 times as long as wide; pubescent; with appressed hairs; with tawny hairs; auriculate; with obtuse auricles; with 2–7 mm high auricles; setose on shoulders; shoulders with curved hairs; shoulders with 3–5 mm long hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 3–5 mm high; dentate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; demarcated but persistent; 5–9 cm long; 60–120 mm wide; pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty, or lacking; deciduous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in oblong clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; with 1-keeled prophylls; leafless between clusters.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; 0.5–1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes several; comprising 1–3 gemmiferous bracts; 1 empty glumes.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 6–7 mm long; mid-green and purple; tipped with last colour; without keel; 13–15 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex acute; pubescent. Palea 5–7 mm long. Palea keels wingless; ciliate; adorned above; with hairs 0.5 mm long. Palea surface pilose; hairy on margins; hairy above. Palea apex obtuse. Apical sterile florets distinct from fertile; rudimentary.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; ovate; 0.7–3 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 6; 5–6 mm long; yellow; anther tip apiculate, or penicillate. Filaments free. Stigmas 3; plumose, or pubescent. Styles 5 mm long. Ovary umbonate; glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Bambuseae. Stapleton 1995.

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