Bambusa procera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated; pachymorph. Culms erect; 800–1200 cm long; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; brown. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 21–25 cm long; 40–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 24 secondary veins; with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; 50–150 cm long; dense; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between clusters.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; straight, or curved; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 15–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes several; 2–3 empty glumes; shiny. Upper glume ovate; 5 mm long. Upper glume margins ciliolate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 9–10 mm long; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate. Palea obovate; 9 mm long; 16 -veined. Palea keels eciliate, or ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 6; 8 mm long; yellow. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 6 mm long; glabrous, or hairy at apex.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Lecomte 1996.

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