Schizostachyum ninhthuanense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 600–800 cm long; 40–50 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 50–60 cm long; dark green. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; with subequal branches. Culm-sheaths tardily deciduous; 29–34 cm long; 1.5 times as long as wide; coriaceous; yellow; pubescent; with appressed hairs; with white hairs; concave at apex; without auricles; setose on shoulders; shoulders with 10 mm long hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 1 mm high; ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade linear; reflexed; 26–28 cm long; 14–16 mm wide; pubescent (at base). Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 5–7 mm long. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base cuneate, or broadly rounded; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.5–0.7 cm long. Leaf-blades oblong; 27–31 cm long; 30–35 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 14–16 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; hairy abaxially. 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; 20–40 cm long overall.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation 2–3 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes several; comprising 1–2 gemmiferous bracts; 1–2 empty glumes. Upper glume oblong; 7.5–8 mm long; 10–14 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 10–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 14–18 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea; ciliate. Lemma apex acute; mucronate (2mm). Palea lanceolate, or oblong; tightly convolute around flower; 19–21 mm long; chartaceous; 1-keeled.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; ovate; 10–12 mm long. Anthers 6; 10–12 mm long; green; anther tip penicillate. Filaments 25 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage; glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp; fusiform; 8–10 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Xia et al 2011.

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