GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Chimonobambusa utilis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 300 cm long; 10 mm diam.; woody; with root thorns from the nodes. Culm-internodes quadrangular; with small lumen; purple; smooth; distally glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three, or several. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths 4.5–5 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1–2 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate, or obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.5 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 5.5–12.5 cm long; 12–23 mm wide; dark green and grey-green; discolorous with last colour beneath. Leaf-blade venation with 10–14 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; scanty; with spathaceous subtending bracts; bracts 8–20 mm long; without axillary buds at base of spikelet; without prophylls.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 25–45 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 4–6 mm long; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes several; 1–3 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 6–9 mm long; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 6–9 mm long; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 10–12 mm long; membranous; without keel; 9–11 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 8–10 mm long; 6–10 -veined. Palea apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 2–3 mm long; glabrous, or ciliate. Anthers 3; 5–6 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 10–15 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Keng 1996.

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