Dendrocalamus birmanicus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 20–22 cm long; 23–35 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 1 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; 1.5–3 cm long; dense; 0.5–1 cm between clusters; pubescent on internodes; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between clusters.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes suppressed between florets.

GLUMES Glumes two, or several; 2–3 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 4 mm long; chartaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile florets increasing in size upwards. Fertile lemma ovate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea oblong; 1 length of lemma; chartaceous; 2-keeled but the uppermost without keels. Palea keels ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 3 mm long; anther tip apiculate. Filaments united in a tube. Stigmas 1. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Camus 2002.

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