Cyrtochloa hirsuta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect, or scandent; drooping at the tip; 600–700 cm long; 40–70 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 40–60 cm long; yellow, or light green. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; with 1 branch dominant. Culm-sheaths persistent; 13 cm long; coriaceous; pubescent; with appressed hairs; with yellow hairs; auriculate; with 5 mm high auricles; with 15 mm wide auricles; ciliate on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade triangular; cordate; erect; 9–10 cm long; pubescent (above); attenuate. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; deciduous; 5 mm long. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate; 2 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; entire, or erose. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.5 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 25–32 cm long; 20–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in oblong clusters; 1–1.5 cm long; dense; with glumaceous subtending bracts (in cluster), or spathaceous subtending bracts (around cluster); with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between branches; 30–60 cm long overall.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 4–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 8–9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–3 mm long overall. Palea tightly convolute around flower; 8 mm long; chartaceous; 5 -veined; without keels. Palea surface pubescent; hairy above.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1 mm long; ciliate. Anthers 6; anther tip with extended connective and pubescent. Stigmas 3. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage.

FRUIT Caryopsis with fleshy pericarp; orbicular; 10 mm long; rugose. Embryo with basal plumule. Endosperm evanescent.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Dransfield 1999.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Hyaline scale 5mm long inside palea.

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