Dendrocalamus sikkimensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 1700–2000 cm long; 120–200 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 30–45 cm long; dark green; antrorsely scabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Buds or branches absent from lower quarter of culm. Culm-sheaths 30 cm long; 0.9 times as long as wide; pubescent; with dark brown hairs; auriculate; setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule dentate. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; reflexed; 20–30 cm long; 50–70 mm wide. Leaf-sheaths smooth. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 15–25 cm long; 25–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation indistinct; with 20 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; pilose; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; 4 cm long; dense; 5 cm between 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 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 12–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes suppressed between florets.

GLUMES Glumes several; 3–4 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; chartaceous; 1-keeled. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 8–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea chartaceous; 2-keeled but the uppermost without keels. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Filaments united in a tube. Stigmas 1; pubescent. Ovary umbonate; pubescent all over.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid.

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

NOTES Bambuseae. Gamble 1996.

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