Chusquea baculifera

HABIT Perennial. Culms 100–200 cm long; 10 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; solid; 4–11.6 cm long; distally pruinose. Lateral branches dendroid; intravaginal. Bud complement 7–19. Branch complement several, or many; in a horizontal line; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 5–5.7 cm long. Culm-sheath ligule 1–2 mm high; dentate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; demarcated but persistent; erect; 2.3–3.9 cm long. Leaves 10–11 per branch. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.03 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2.6–5.6 cm long; 4–5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 2–5 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 0.5–1 cm long. Panicle axis angular; scabrous. Panicle branches angular; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 1–3 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6.2–8.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.2–0.4 mm long; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.2–0.4 mm long; 0.05 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 4.1–5.1 mm long; 0.66 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1–3 -veined; without lateral veins, or distinctly veined; puberulous; attenuate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 4–5.5 mm long; chartaceous; pubescent; attenuate, or setaceously attenuate. Fertile lemma ovate; 6–8.3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex attenuate, or setaceously attenuate. Palea 5.8–8 mm long; 4 -veined.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 1995.

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