Perrierbambus tsarasaotrensis

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 500–600 cm long; 20–30 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement thinner than stem. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 4.5–6 cm long; 4–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 6–8 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; scanty; dense; with foliaceous subtending bracts; without axillary buds at base of spikelet; with ultimate bract subtending a compact bracteolate fascicle of spikelets.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume oblong; 11 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 17 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough at apex. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 12–13 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 19 -veined. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea lanceolate; 14 mm long; chartaceous; 12–14 -veined. Palea apex pubescent.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 6. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; apex rostrate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Bambuseae. Camus 2002.

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