Schizostachyum whitei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–10 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy abaxially.

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.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; persistent; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 14 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea tightly convolute around flower; 12 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Rhachilla extension 6 mm long. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; rudimentary.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Filaments free, or united in groups. Stigmas 3. Styles 2.5 mm long. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp; oblong.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Holttum 1996.

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