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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Chusquea ligulata
HABIT Perennial. Culms woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; in a clump; thinner than stem. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.4 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 9.2–12 cm long; 8–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; without bracts, or bracteate at pedicel base; embraced at base by subtending leaf.
Panicle open; linear; 7–20.5 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 5–7 cm long. Panicle axis angular; scabrous. Panicle branches angular; scabrous; glabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 1–10 mm long; scabrous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 10–13.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.2–3.8 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4–6.6 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 5.9–8.7 mm long; 0.75 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 5–7 -veined; scabrous; acute; mucronate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 9.3–11.6 mm long; chartaceous; scabrous; acute; mucronate. Fertile lemma ovate; 9–10.6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 7.6–10.2 mm long; 2–4 -veined.
FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.4–2.1 mm long; membranous; glabrous. Anthers 3; 5.7–6.1 mm long. Stigmas 2.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.
DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.
NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 1995.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
