Guadua tagoara

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 800–1200 cm long; 80 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 40–45 cm long; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths keeled; pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base cuneate; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–21 cm long; 10–22 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; 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 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume ovate; coriaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma 12 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Bambuseae. Fl Cat 1995.

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