Soejatmia ridleyi

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 300–500 cm long; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 20–45 cm long; distally pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Culm-sheaths 9 cm long; pubescent; with white hairs; auriculate; with 10 mm high auricles; setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade ovate; cordate; erect; 5–7 cm long; 20 mm wide; acuminate. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 10–20 mm long. Leaf-sheath auricles erect; 4–10 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.3 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 20–30 cm long; 25–50 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

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.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 40–50 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; 5–7 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes several.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 18–22 mm long; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea 12–16 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 8–9 mm long; ciliate. Anthers 6; 8 mm long; anther tip apiculate. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Holttum 1995.

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