Chusquea bahiana

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; pendulous at the tip; 500–1000 cm long; 10–17.5 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; 27–40 cm long; retrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes without obvious supra-nodal ridge; pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal. Bud complement 5–8. Branch complement several; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 14–26 cm long; retrorsely scabrous; hairy on margins. Culm-sheath ligule 0.5 mm high. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; erect; 3–8.5 cm long; scabrid. Leaves 4–8 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4.5 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.8 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades oblong; 9–28 cm long; 24–58 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bracteate at branch bases; subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath, or an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle capitate; globose; dense; 2–3 cm long. Panicle axis angular, or flat; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–4 mm long; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3–5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; inner surface pubescent. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 6–10 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 4–5 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; (3–)5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; inner surface pubescent. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 6.9–8 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 8–9.5 mm long; 1.1 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 5–7 -veined; acute; mucronate, or awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 1–1.9 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 8–9.5 mm long; chartaceous; scabrous (above); acute; mucronate. Fertile lemma ovate; 7.7–8.9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea 7–8.8 mm long; 4 -veined. Palea surface scabrous. Palea apex pubescent; with excurrent keel veins.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1–2 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 4–5 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 2001.

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