Dendrocalamus messeri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 2400–3000 cm long; 127 mm diam.; woody; with aerial roots from the nodes. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 30–53 cm long. Lateral branches dendroid; arising from lower culm. Culm-sheaths 45 cm long; glabrous. Culm-sheath ligule dentate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 20–23 cm long; 25 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; 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 8–10 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 18 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; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma orbicular; 14 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea chartaceous; 2-keeled but the uppermost without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Filaments united in a tube. Stigmas 3. Ovary pubescent all over.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Rhind 2002.

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