Chusquea serrulata

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect, or arching; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; girdling the culm. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–13 cm long; 5–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6.5–7 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 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Upper glume ovate; 1 mm long; without keels.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; chartaceous; acute. Lemma of upper sterile floret lanceolate; chartaceous; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6.2–6.5 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.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gr Peru 1997.

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