Chusquea subtilis

HABIT Perennial. Culms arching; 200–600 cm long; 15–30 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; 15–35 cm long; smooth, or scaberulous. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal. Bud complement 70–80. Branch complement many; in a clump; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths 17–20 cm long; pilose; hairy at the base. Culm-sheath ligule 1–2 mm high; ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; narrower than sheath; demarcated but persistent; erect; 2.6–4.5 cm long; pubescent. Leaves 3–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; curly; 1–1.5 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1–0.2 cm long. Leaf-blades linear; 12–21.6 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 11–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–4.5 cm long. Panicle axis angular; smooth, or scabrous; glabrous. Panicle branches angular; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 1–7 mm long; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 9.8–11.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–0.8 mm long; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.6–1 mm long; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 7.5–9.2 mm long; chartaceous; 7 -veined; scabrous; attenuate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 9.3–11.8 mm long; chartaceous; scabrous; acute; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret 1–2 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 10–11.7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2 mm long overall. Palea 7.4–9 mm long; 4–6 -veined. Palea surface scabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 4.2–5.2 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 4.7–6 mm long; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 1995.

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