Nastus ambrensis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 1000–1500 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule absent. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–20 cm long; 8–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 15–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 3–5 empty glumes; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2–3.5 mm long; chartaceous; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse; mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 6–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; ovate; 12–12.5 mm long; coriaceous; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; 13–13.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 11–13 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma apex truncate, or obtuse. Palea oblong; 12–13 mm long; coriaceous; 2-keeled. Palea apex obtuse. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; elliptic.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 6; 7.5–8.8 mm long; yellow; anther tip apiculate. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Bambuseae. Camus 2002.

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