Chusquea bilimekii

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; nodding at the tip; 300–400 cm long; 15–30 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 17.5–30 cm long; smooth. Lateral branches dendroid; intravaginal. Bud complement 7–9. Branch complement many; in a horizontal line; with subequal branches; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 7–10.5 cm long; glabrous. Culm-sheath ligule 0.5–1 mm high. Culm-sheath blade triangular; demarcated but persistent; erect; 1.9–2.1 cm long; glabrous on surface. Leaves 3–7 per branch. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–0.8 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.3 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 8.5–15 cm long; 6–12 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 3–6 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 0.5–1 cm long. Panicle axis angular; pubescent. Panicle branches angular; pubescent.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 3–5 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 8.9–10.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.9–1 mm long; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.8–2 mm long; 0.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. 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; 4.8–5.7 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 3 -veined; pubescent; ciliate on margins; acute. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 5.7–6.1 mm long; chartaceous; pubescent; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 9.6–10.1 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 8.6–9.4 mm long; 6 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus. Palea surface scabrous; pubescent; hairy on back; hairy above.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 4–5.5 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 1995.

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