Chusquea subulata

HABIT Perennial. Culms arching; 700–1000 cm long; 60–80 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; distally glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid; extravaginal. Bud complement 16–30. Branch complement many; in a clump; with subequal branches, or 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths 19–45 cm long; pubescent; hairy at the base; hairy on margins. Culm-sheath ligule 1–3 mm high; ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; indistinctly demarcated from sheath; erect; 1.3–4 cm long; pubescent. Leaves 4–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–4 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; obtuse. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.5 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 11–23 cm long; 13–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins, or with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

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

Panicle open; linear; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 3–8 cm long. Panicle axis angular; scabrous; glabrous. Panicle branches angular; scabrous; glabrous, or puberulous.

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 linear; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–0.8 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.8–1 mm long; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 3.8–4.6 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 3–5 -veined; pubescent; setaceously attenuate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 5.8–7.7 mm long; chartaceous; pubescent; setaceously attenuate. Fertile lemma ovate; 7.2–8.6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1 mm long overall. Palea 5.5–6.9 mm long; 4–6 -veined. Palea apex ciliate; with excurrent keel veins.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 0.8–1.5 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 3.8–5 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3.5 mm long; dark brown; apex unappendaged. Embryo 0.15 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 1995.

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