Chusquea heterophylla

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; inclined at the tip, or nodding at the tip; 100–200(–300) cm long; 10–15 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 3.8–8.6 cm long; distally pruinose and pubescent. Culm-nodes swollen; with distinct supra-nodal ridge. Lateral branches dendroid; extravaginal; spreading. Bud complement 12–45. Branch complement many; in an irregular line (crescent). Culm-sheaths persistent; 7.5–16 cm long; antrorsely scabrous; without auricles. Culm-sheath ligule 0.5–1 mm high; ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; demarcated but persistent; erect; 6–9 cm long; scabrid; acute. Leaves 9–12 per branch. Leaf-sheaths tight; pubescent; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.05 cm long. Leaf-blades linear; 1.3–3.7 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; linear; 1–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 0.5–1 cm long. Panicle axis pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 1–3.5 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 4.5–6.4 mm long; 1.2–1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.4–1 mm long; 0.5–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume oblong; 0.4–2 mm long; 0.1–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; without keels; 0–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or distinct. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 2.9–3.2 mm long; 0.66 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 3–5 -veined; pubescent; hairy above; acute; mucronate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 3.1–4.7 mm long; 1.1 length of lower sterile floret; chartaceous; pubescent; acute; mucronate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 4.6–6.7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea 4–6.1 mm long; 4–6 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 0.8–1 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 3 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3.7 mm long; apex unappendaged. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clarke 1996.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Culm-sheath margins fused for 10–20mm.

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