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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Chusquea silverstonei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; reed-like; 100–200 cm long; 4 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 16–25 mm long. Leaf-blade base tapering to the midrib. Leaf-blades erect; deciduous at the ligule; aciculate, or lanceolate; 30–44 cm long; 12–22 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 25–65 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1 -nate; sparsely divided; 15–35 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 9–10.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.9–1.6 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume ovate; 1.7–2.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 6.1–8.1 mm long; coriaceous; purple; 3–4 -veined; acuminate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 7.6–9.8 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 8–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 1–1.4 mm long; coriaceous; 2–3 -veined; 1-keeled (at tip).

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.2–1.4 mm long; veined; glabrous; obtuse. Anthers 3; 3.5–5 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.