Chusquea vulcanalis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 500–1000 cm long; 10–25 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen, or solid. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid; intravaginal. Branch complement several; in a clump; with subequal branches; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths glabrous; without auricles. Culm-sheath ligule 1 mm high. Culm-sheath blade triangular. Leaves 3–4 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–5 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1–0.3 cm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 6–19 cm long; 11–23 mm wide; coriaceous; dark green. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; dense; 9–19 cm long; 1–2 cm wide. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–3 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6.2–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–1 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 0.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or obscure. Upper glume lateral veins absent. 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; 3.7–6.3 mm long; chartaceous; purple; 4–5 -veined; with unevenly spaced veins; scabrous; ciliolate on margins; acute; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 0.5 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 5–7.4 mm long; chartaceous; scabrous; ciliolate on margins; acute; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret 1 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 5.7–6.8 mm long; coriaceous; purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea 5.7–6.8 mm long; 4 -veined. Palea keels approximate. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; obovate; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3; 3.6–4.5 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.