Chusquea sneidernii

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; 1000–1600 cm long; 23–40 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; smooth, or scaberulous. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal. Bud complement 40–60. Bud prophyll 50–100 mm long. Branch complement many; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 21.6–52.6 cm long; pubescent; hairy at the base. Culm-sheath ligule 0 mm high. Culm-sheath blade triangular; indistinctly demarcated from sheath; erect; 1–10.2 cm long; scabrid. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.4 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 9.6–15 cm long; 6–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bracteate at pedicel base; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; linear; 11.5–12.5 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–3 cm long. Panicle axis angular; scabrous. Panicle branches angular; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 1–3 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9.8–10.9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.3–2.3 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3.1–3.6 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -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; 4.1–4.3 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 5–7 -veined; scaberulous; acute; mucronate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 7.5–7.8 mm long; chartaceous; scabrous; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 8.8–9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 8–8.1 mm long; 6 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 2 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 5.3 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 1995.

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