Bambusa tuldoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 700–1500 cm long; 50 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 30–50 cm long; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid; erect, or ascending. Culm-sheaths glabrous; auriculate; ciliate on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade triangular; erect; pubescent (at base). Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base cuneate; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.3 cm long. Leaf-blades oblong; 12–20 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

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; leafless between clusters.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 25–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume ovate; 6 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma 10–14 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels wingless. Palea apex pubescent. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China. Pacific: north-central. South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl Cat 1995.

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