Bambusa xueana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; pendulous at the tip; 800–1200 cm long; 40–70 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 40–50 cm long; distally pubescent. Culm-nodes flush with internodes. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; with 1 branch dominant. Culm-sheaths tardily deciduous; coriaceous; pubescent; with tawny hairs; without auricles. Culm-sheath ligule 2 mm high; dentate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; as wide as sheath at base; erect. Leaves cauline; 5–9 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base cuneate; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 12–25 cm long; 10–28 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 10–14 secondary veins; with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20 mm long; 7 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure, or two; persistent; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 14 mm long; 11 mm wide; without keel; 24–32 -veined. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2, or 3; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 6; 6 mm long; yellow. Stigmas 2–3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Hsueh 2002.

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