Bonia parvifloscula

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 100–120 cm long; 4–6 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid; 16–39 cm long; distally glabrous, or pubescent. Culm-nodes flush with internodes. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement one; as thick as stem. Culm-sheaths tardily deciduous; hispid; without auricles; glabrous on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule 0.8 mm high; dentate. Culm-sheath blade linear, or lanceolate; narrower than sheath; erect, or reflexed. Leaves cauline; 5–7 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades oblong; 11–22 cm long; 15–32 mm wide; mid-green and glaucous; discolorous with last colour beneath. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 17–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; 3–5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes several; comprising 2–3 gemmiferous bracts; 0 empty glumes.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; without keel. Lemma surface hispidulous. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 7–8 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.5–2.5 mm long; membranous; glabrous; emarginate. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl China 2005.

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