Chusquea lorentziana

HABIT Perennial. Culms arching; 300–600 cm long; 3–15 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal; ascending, or spreading. Branch complement many. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–15 cm long; 4–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 5–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle axis glabrous, or pubescent. Panicle branches glabrous, or pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1–2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 1–2.5 mm long; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 3.5–5 mm long; chartaceous; acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; chartaceous. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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