Chusquea dombeyana

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms leaning; 300–400 cm long; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 7–16 cm long; 13–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 7–11 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; lower distant. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5.5–6.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume surface pubescent. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; without keels. Upper glume surface pubescent.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; chartaceous; pubescent; acute. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; chartaceous; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–6.3 mm long; coriaceous; purple; without keel. Palea 1 length of lemma.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gr Peru 1997.

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