Chusquea delicatula

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; 300 cm long; 2–5 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; solid. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal. Branch complement many. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hispid. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1.5–4.5 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 1.5–3 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous; pubescent. Panicle branches scabrous; pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 2.5–4 mm long; chartaceous; acuminate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; chartaceous. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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