Dendrocalamus sinicus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; nodding at the tip; 2000–3000 cm long; 200–300 mm diam.; woody; with aerial roots from the nodes. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 17–22 cm long; distally mealy. Lateral branches dendroid; arising from upper culm. Branch complement many; with subequal branches. Culm-sheaths persistent; coriaceous; hispid; hairy above; with appressed hairs; with dark brown hairs; without auricles; glabrous on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule 6 mm high; entire, or dentate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; as wide as sheath at base; erect; pubescent; acuminate. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long; erose. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades oblong; 20–40 cm long; 40–65 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 20–26 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in stellate clusters; 2–4 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 5 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 30–35 mm long; 6.5–7.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes suppressed between florets.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 12–15 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Lower glume surface puberulous. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 12–15 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile florets increasing in size upwards. Fertile lemma ovate; 17–25 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea chartaceous; 2-keeled but the uppermost without keels. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 8–12 mm long; anther tip apiculate. Filaments free, or united in a tube; 1.5–3 mm long. Stigmas 1. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Chia & Sun 2002.

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