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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Elytrostachys clavigera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; 20–40 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 15–37 cm long; distally pubescent. Culm-nodes flush with internodes. Lateral branches dendroid. Bud complement 1. Branch complement many; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; erect; 6–12 mm long. Ligule absent. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1 cm long; petiole glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 40–75 cm long; 5–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 6–8 secondary veins; without cross veins. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; scanty (oblong); 2–5 cm long; with spathaceous subtending bracts; bracts 15–22 mm long; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension, or with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 34 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation stout (clavate); 15–17 mm long; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes two, or several; comprising 0–2 gemmiferous bracts; 2 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 14 mm long; chartaceous; pallid; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 18 mm long; chartaceous; pallid; without keels. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–17 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous. Palea keels approximate. Palea surface granular. Palea apex obtuse. Apical sterile florets 0–1 in number; barren; linear.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; lanceolate; 2–4 mm long; veined; ciliate. Anthers 6; 8 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary umbonate; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana and western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. McClure 1995.

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