Pseudosasa aeria

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 300–600 cm long; 20 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 30–40 cm long; mid-green; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement two. Culm-sheaths coriaceous; pilose; hairy on margins; auriculate; ciliate on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; erect. Leaves cauline; 3–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 13 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 11–20 cm long; 12–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 20–40 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 1–2 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume lanceolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 11 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea apex obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; ciliate. Anthers 3. Stigmas 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Wen 1996.

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