Chusquea acuminata

HABIT Perennial. Culms woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; in a clump; thinner than stem. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2–4 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 6–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.2 mm long; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 0.5–2 mm long; 0.1–0.25 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 5 mm long; 0.66 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; purple; 3 -veined; acute; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 2 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret lanceolate; 5 mm long; chartaceous; acute; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret 2 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Camus 2001.

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