Vietnamocalamus catbaensis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 150–250 cm long; 5–10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Branch complement one. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blade base without a false petiole. Leaf-blades spreading (in a rosette); lanceolate; 20–26 cm long; 30–45 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 18–22 secondary veins. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1 fertile spikelets; axillary; subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes glabrous. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes several; 3 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; chartaceous; without keels.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Palea chartaceous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 3 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Nguyen 2002.

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