Pseudoxytenanthera stocksii

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 600–900 cm long; 25–40 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid; 15–30 cm long; grey; distally glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Culm-sheaths 15–22 cm long; 1.3–2 times as long as wide; pubescent; with appressed hairs; with red hairs; hairy on margins; concave at apex; auriculate; setose on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule 7 mm high; fimbriate. Culm-sheath blade linear; acuminate. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; erose. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.2 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–20 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 10–12 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in globose clusters; 2.5 cm long; dense; 2.5–5 cm between clusters; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between clusters.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes two; similar; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate. Palea chartaceous; 7 -veined; 2-keeled but the uppermost without keels. Palea keels ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Filaments united in a tube. Stigmas 1; plumose. Ovary umbonate; pubescent all over.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gamble 1996.

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