Chusquea sellowii

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; 200–300 cm long; 3 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes elliptical in section; solid; 10–17 cm long; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several, or many; in a clump; as thick as stem, or thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; antrorsely scabrous. Leaf-sheaths without keel; striately veined; pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; symmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 1.5 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 3–9 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 4–8 secondary veins; with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy on both sides.

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

Panicle spiciform; elliptic, or globose; secund; 1–2 cm long. Panicle axis pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 6 mm long; 2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 1–1.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex cuspidate. Upper glume oblate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex cuspidate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 3–4 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; ciliate on margins; truncate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 6 mm long; 2 length of lower sterile floret; chartaceous; ciliate on margins; truncate. Fertile lemma ovate; 6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex truncate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl Cat 1995.

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