Chusquea lanceolata

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; 600–800 cm long; 10–20 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; solid; 19–21 cm long; smooth, or scaberulous. Lateral branches dendroid; extravaginal. Bud complement 3–7. Branch complement several; in a clump; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 12.5–13.5 cm long; hispid. Culm-sheath ligule 2 mm high. Culm-sheath blade triangular; deciduous; reflexed; 2 cm long; scabrid; acuminate. Leaves 4–8 per branch. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 13.4–29.5 cm long; 23–42 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; hairy abaxially.

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

Panicle open; ovate; secund; 6–16 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; 4–15 cm long. Panicle axis angular; pubescent. Panicle branches angular; pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 2–7 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6.2–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–1.1 mm long; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.8–2 mm long; 0.1–0.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 3.6–5.6 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 3–7 -veined; pubescent; hairy above; ciliolate on margins; fringed above; acute. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 4.3–6.5 mm long; chartaceous; pilose; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 6.1–8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 6.2–7.8 mm long; 2–4 -veined. Palea surface scabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 4–4.2 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 1995.

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