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Descriptions

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

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

Phyllostachys aurea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 200–800 cm long; 20–30 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes similar in length, or abbreviated and closely packed at the base; semiterete; hollow; 8–10 cm long; yellow; smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes swollen. Lateral branches dendroid. Culm-sheaths deciduous; 12–18 cm long; yellow, or green; pubescent; hairy at the base; with white hairs; without auricles. Culm-sheath ligule 1–2 mm high; ciliate. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; reflexed; 3–6 cm long. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–8 cm long; 5–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; fasciculate; with spathaceous subtending bracts; with ultimate bract subtending a compact bracteolate fascicle of spikelets; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 18–25 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; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 15 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea chartaceous. Palea apex pubescent.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; yellow. Filaments 30–50 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: Malesia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: north-central. North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Tewari 1996.

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