Chusquea bambusoides

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent, or scandent; 300–400 cm long; 3–6 mm diam.; woody; with aerial roots from the nodes. Culm-internodes terete; solid; 15–36 cm long; smooth. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; in a clump. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; entire; obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base cuneate; asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 5–21 cm long; 14–33 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 10–12 secondary veins; with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; 2–8 cm long; 1–4 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; 1–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; without keels. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 4–6 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; acute. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 6–8 mm long; 2 length of lower sterile floret; chartaceous; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 8–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acute.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl Cat 1995.

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