Nastus elongatus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; pendulous at the tip; 1500–2000 cm long; 30 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades linear; convolute; 11–12 cm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with 14–18 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 15–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 4–6 empty glumes; lower persistent, upper deciduous (with floret); shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; chartaceous; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 5–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 11 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; acute. Palea coriaceous; 2-keeled. Palea keels ciliate. Palea apex obtuse. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; elliptic.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 6; 4 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Bambuseae. Camus 1996.

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