Chusquea subtessellata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 1500–3000 cm long; 4–8 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; distally pruinose, or glabrous. Culm-nodes swollen. Lateral branches dendroid; intravaginal. Branch complement several; in a clump; with subequal branches; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths pilose; with yellow hairs; without auricles. Culm-sheath ligule 1.7 mm high. Culm-sheath blade triangular; 2–2.5 cm long; acuminate. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface, or pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2 cm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; ovate; 1.5–11 cm long; 4.5–12 mm wide; coriaceous; light green. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–13 cm long; 0.7–1.4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 5.5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; 0.4–0.8 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume orbicular; 0.5–1.8 mm long; 0.1–0.25 length of adjacent fertile lemma; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface villous to hispid. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 5–6.5 mm long; chartaceous; purple; 7–9 -veined; eciliate on margins, or ciliolate on margins; acute; muticous, or mucronate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 5–7 mm long; chartaceous; eciliate on margins, or ciliolate on margins; acute; muticous, or mucronate. Fertile lemma ovate; 5–6.5 mm long; coriaceous; purple; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 2–4 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3; 2.7–3.5 mm long; yellow. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl Costaric 1994.

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