Gigantochloa poilanei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 500–800 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 30 cm long. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 15–20 cm long; 15–22 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 12–16 secondary veins. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in stellate clusters; 1.5–3 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 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 4–5 mm long. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 6 mm long. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret obovate; 12 mm long; pubescent; obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret 8 mm long; pilose; adorned on keels. Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 15–16 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins convolute. Lemma apex acute. Palea oblong; 10–11 mm long; without keels. Palea apex pubescent.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6; anther tip with extended connective and pubescent. 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.