Melocalamus indicus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; pendulous at the tip; 600–3000 cm long; 100–200 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid; 40–50 cm long; distally mealy. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; with 1 branch dominant; as thick as stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle; 20–25 cm long; 4–6 times as long as wide. Culm-sheath blade linear; reflexed. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; 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 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; laterally compressed; 2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume orbicular; 2 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume orbicular; 2 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret orbicular; 2–2.5 mm long; chartaceous; obtuse. Fertile lemma orbicular; 2.5 mm long; without keel; 4 -veined. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; ciliate. Anthers 6.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Bambuseae. Majumdar 2002.

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