Schizostachyum copelandii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 300 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear; 12–15 cm long; 6–8 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with 4–6 secondary veins; without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between clusters; 15 cm long overall.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 5 empty glumes; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2–3 mm long; 3–7 -veined. Upper glume ovate; 5–7 mm long; 9 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 12–13 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 11 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea tightly convolute around flower; chartaceous; 7 -veined; without keels. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; rudimentary.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; ciliate. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Muell & Hack 2002.

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