Bambusa solomonensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate; 3–4 mm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 2.5 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base truncate, or cordate; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–40 cm long; 30–80 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; 0.5–1 cm between clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 20 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; 15–16 mm long; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2.5 mm long overall. Palea 10 -veined. Palea keels ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 6–7 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; pubescent on apex.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Pacific: northwestern.

NOTES Bambuseae. Holttum 1996.

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