Chusquea tuberculosa

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; 3–6 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid; papillose. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; in a clump; thinner than stem. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 2–3 cm long; 4–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–10 cm long; 5–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle axis pilose. Panicle branches stiff; pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; 3 -veined; acute. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 5 mm long; chartaceous; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex acute.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Swallen 2001.

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