Chusquea renvoizei

HABIT Perennial. Culms 150 cm long; 2 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; 6–8.5 cm long; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid; intravaginal. Branch complement one. Culm-sheaths persistent. Leaves 4–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths without keel; striately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.4 mm long; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1–0.15 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 20–26 cm long; 5–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins, or with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; interrupted; 12.5–15 cm long; 0.5–0.8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1.2–1.5 cm long. Panicle axis angular; pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 6.5–7.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.6–1.3 mm long; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1–2 mm long; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or distinct. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 3.1–3.7 mm long; chartaceous; 5 -veined; puberulous; hairy above; acute; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 1.7–2.4 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 3.8–4.1 mm long; chartaceous; pubescent; acute; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret 1.5–2.7 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 5.3–5.4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy above. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–1.6 mm long overall. Palea 4.8–5 mm long; 4 -veined. Palea surface puberulous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.4–2 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 3.3–3.6 mm long. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark 2006.

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