Phyllostachys glauca

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 1000 cm long; 40 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes semiterete; hollow; 40 cm long; glaucous; distally pruinose. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Culm-sheaths green, or green and brown; obscurely mottled with last colour; glabrous; truncate at apex; without auricles; glabrous on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; erect, or reflexed; 6–7 cm long; acute. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 7–16 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; dense; with spathaceous subtending bracts; bracts 20 mm long; without axillary buds at base of spikelet; with ultimate bract subtending a compact bracteolate fascicle of spikelets; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between branches.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 25–30 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; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 20 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 11–13 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. McClure 2002.

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