Bambusa riparia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 6 mm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 13–35 cm long; 25–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; lax; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Rhachilla internodes definite; 1–2.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 8–9 mm long; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 8 -veined. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; rudimentary.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Filaments free, or united in groups. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Holttum 1996.

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