Chusquea macrostachya

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; in a clump; thinner than stem. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 4–11 cm long; 4–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 3–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 2 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; acute; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 1 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 3 mm long; chartaceous; acute; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret 1 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex acute.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. WDC 2001.

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