Neohouzeaua tavoyana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 300–450 cm long; 15 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen, or solid. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–4 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 1 cm long. Leaf-blades oblong; 25–35 cm long; 30–60 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 12–20 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; 2–3 cm long; 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 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 20–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 2–3 empty glumes; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; chartaceous; without keels.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 10–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–2 mm long overall. Palea linear; tightly convolute around flower; 20–25 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Palea apex awned; awns 2 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules absent, or 2. Anthers 6; 10 mm long; anther tip smooth. Filaments united in a tube. Stigmas 3. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gr Burma 1997.

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