Chusquea laegaardii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; reed-like; 15–80 cm long; 3–6 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 3–12 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths papillose; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 7–12 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2–0.4 cm long. Leaf-blades erect; deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate, or ovate; 8–26 cm long; 17–26 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath, or bracts (1 bract 3–4 mm long). Peduncle 3–10 cm long; glabrous, or pubescent above.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 16–56 cm long; 2–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1.5–19 cm long. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete, or dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; 3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.4–3.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent; inner surface pubescent. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 6–20 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 1–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 1(–3) -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume surface pubescent; inner surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 4–9 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1.8–4.1 mm long; coriaceous; 3 -veined; acute. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 1.8–4.1 mm long; mucronate. Fertile lemma ovate; 2.8–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea 2.9–4.2 mm long; coriaceous; 2–4 -veined; without keels. Palea surface glabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1 mm long; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clarke 2001.

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