Chusquea aristata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; reed-like; 100–300 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 10 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 30–80 cm long; 40–60 mm wide; coriaceous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 30–50 cm long; 2–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–5 cm long. Panicle branches channelled.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 7–12 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 4 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; coriaceous; acute. Lemma of upper sterile floret 2.5–3 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gr Peru 1997.

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