Guadua venezuelae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; in a clump. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; deciduous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3–12 cm long; 7–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 6–8 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; 2–3 cm between clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between branches.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 18–24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; comprising 2–3 gemmiferous bracts; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 5–8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9–11 -veined. Lemma margins ciliolate. 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.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Munro 2001.

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