Gigantochloa hayatae

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms woody. Culm-internodes terete; distally pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3 cm long; petiole pubescent. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–15 cm long; 12 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 10–12 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; 1–1.6 cm long; 2 cm between clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Rhachilla internodes suppressed between florets.

GLUMES Glumes several; 3–4 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume ovate; 2.5–5.5 mm long. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile florets increasing in size upwards. Fertile lemma ovate; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea 7 mm long; 2-keeled. Palea keels ciliate. Palea apex obtuse.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; 4.5 mm long; anther tip apiculate. Filaments united in a tube. Stigmas 1. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Lecomte 1996.

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