Chusquea longiprophylla

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; pendulous at the tip; 500–1000 cm long; 10–15 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes channelled; distally glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal. Bud complement 10–24. Bud prophyll 40–75 mm long. Branch complement many; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 16–34.3 cm long; antrorsely scabrous. Culm-sheath ligule 0.5 mm high; ciliate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; indistinctly demarcated from sheath; erect; 2.7–7 cm long; hispid. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.4 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 7–16.6 cm long; 10–24 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; without bracts, or bracteate at branch bases, or bracteate at pedicel base; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; linear; 9–22 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 2.5–3 cm long. Panicle axis angular; scabrous. Panicle branches angular; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 2–5 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7.1–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.2 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1–2 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.6–3 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 2.9–3.2 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 7 -veined; scaberulous; acute. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 5.6–6.2 mm long; chartaceous; scabrous; acute; mucronate. Fertile lemma ovate; 6.4–7.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 6 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute, or apiculate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1–1.8 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 4–4.5 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 1995.

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