Chimonocalamus longiusculus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 400–600 cm long; 10–20 mm diam.; woody; with root thorns from the nodes. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 17 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Culm-sheaths tardily deciduous; chartaceous; pubescent; with tawny hairs; convex at apex; without auricles. Culm-sheath ligule 1–1.5 mm high; ciliate. Culm-sheath blade linear; 3–5 cm long; 2 mm wide; pubescent. Leaves 3–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear; 5–14 cm long; 5–9 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 25–40 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes flattened; 4–5 mm long; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Palea 1–1.1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; obovate; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Fl China 2006.

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