Guadua glomerata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; 800–1200 cm long; 10–45 mm diam.; woody; with root thorns from the nodes. Culm-internodes semiterete; hollow, or with small lumen; scaberulous. Lateral branches dendroid. Bud complement 1. Culm-sheaths 4.5–5 times as long as wide; glabrous. Culm-sheath ligule 1 mm high. Culm-sheath blade triangular; demarcated but persistent; erect; 6 cm long; 20 mm wide. Leaves 5–13 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 2–3 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.2 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base truncate, or cordate; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.6 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 12–16 cm long; 22–32 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; globose; axis 0.2–0.7 cm long; dense; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

Spikelets ascending, or spreading, or deflexed. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 40–60 mm long; 4–6 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 17–23 mm long; coriaceous; light brown; shiny; without keel; 15–20 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; with cross-veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea 13–17 mm long. Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; veined. Anthers 6; 6–7 mm long. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl Guiana 1995.

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