Chusquea bradei

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; pendulous at the tip; 200–600 cm long; 2–10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; 15 cm long; distally pilose. Culm-nodes without obvious supra-nodal ridge; pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal. Bud complement 13–16. Branch complement many; in a clump; with subequal branches; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 9.8–18 cm long; retrorsely scabrous; hispid; hairy below; glabrous on margins, or hairy on margins. Culm-sheath ligule 0.5–1 mm high. Culm-sheath blade linear; indistinctly demarcated from sheath; erect; 3–15 cm long; scabrid. Leaves 5–11 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long; obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 6–12 cm long; 7–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or ciliate. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

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

Panicle capitate; globose; dense; 1.5–2 cm long. Panicle axis angular; pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7.4–8.1 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 3.9–5.1 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 4.1–5.1 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 6–7 mm long; 0.9–1 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 5 -veined; pilose; hairy above; attenuate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 1.5–3 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 6.7–8.1 mm long; chartaceous; pilose; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 7.4–7.7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy above. Lemma apex acute. Palea 6.4–6.7 mm long; 6 -veined. Palea apex pubescent; with excurrent keel veins.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 2–2.2 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 4–4.5 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.