Cephalostachyum scandens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; pendulous at the tip; woody. Culm-internodes terete; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 8–22 cm long; 11–22 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface papillose; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; globose; dense; with glumaceous subtending bracts; bracts 15 mm long; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 3 empty glumes; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 6 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 6.5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9–11 -veined. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma surface smooth; glabrous. Lemma apex truncate. Palea oblong; tightly convolute around flower; 8–9 mm long; chartaceous; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 4.5 mm long. Anthers 6; 6 mm long. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Bor 2002.

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