Chusquea tessellata

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 200–300 cm long; 5–10 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen, or solid; 6.5–8 cm long; yellow; smooth; distally mealy. Lateral branches dendroid; intravaginal. Bud complement 1–3. Branch complement several, or many; in a horizontal line; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 5–8.5 cm long; glabrous. Culm-sheath ligule 1.5–4 mm high; ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; cordate; deciduous; erect; 5–11.5 cm long; acuminate. Leaves 4–10 per branch. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.8–2 mm long; scarious; glabrous on abaxial surface, or pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar with external ligule; glabrous. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.05–0.5 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5.8–23 cm long; 6–26 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins, or with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 6–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–3 cm long. Panicle axis angular; pubescent. Panicle branches angular; pubescent.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.9–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–1.7 mm long; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.9–2.9 mm long; 0.25–0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. 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; 1.4–4.6 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 3–5 -veined; pubescent; hairy above; ciliolate on margins; fringed above; attenuate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 2.2–5.9 mm long; chartaceous; pilose; ciliate on margins; attenuate. Fertile lemma ovate; 3–7.6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex attenuate. Palea 2.1–6.8 mm long; 2–4 -veined. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back and on margins.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 2.2–3.6 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 1995.

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