Sphaerobambos subtilis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms leaning, or scandent; 3–4 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; with 1 branch dominant. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; deciduous. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–13 cm long; 7–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. 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 branches.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (3–)4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; chartaceous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 4.5 mm long; 8 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on margins.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Dransfield 2001.

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