Cathariostachys madagascariensis

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated; pachymorph. Culms erect, or arching, or leaning; inclined at the tip, or drooping at the tip; 1000–1500 cm long; 50–80(–120) mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 40–60 cm long; distally glabrous, or hispid (black hairs). Lateral branches dendroid. Bud complement 1. Branch complement several to many; apparently arising below the node; with 1 branch dominant. Culm-sheaths persistent; 17–21 cm long; 1 times as long as wide; hispid; with black hairs; truncate at apex; auriculate; with 5 mm high auricles; setose on shoulders; shoulders with curved hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 1 mm high; entire. Culm-sheath blade ovate, or triangular; erect, or reflexed; 7–18 cm long; 25–60 mm wide; hispid; acuminate, or attenuate. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; curly. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate; 3 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; membranous. Leaf-blade base symmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 9–26 cm long; 15–40 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; globose; 2.5–3 cm long; with glumaceous subtending bracts; bracts 2.5–4 mm long; without axillary buds at base of spikelet; without prophylls.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20–22 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 3–5 empty glumes; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 3 mm long; 7 -veined. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume elliptic; 7–11 mm long; 11–13 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume hairs black. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 12–13 mm long; 13–15 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy above. Lemma hairs black. Lemma apex attenuate. Palea tightly convolute around flower; 17–20 mm long; 14–16 -veined. Palea surface pilose; hairy above. Palea apex dentate. Rhachilla extension 1 mm long; pubescent.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; stipitate. Embryo with basal plumule. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Bambuseae. Dransfield 1998.

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