Rhipidocladum angustiflorum

HABIT Perennial. Culms woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Leaves 3–4 per branch. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 2–2.5 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear; 5–8 cm long; 4.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 30–35 secondary veins; without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 1.2–2 cm long. Rhachis puberulous on surface. Rhachis internodes 3–5 mm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or lanceolate; subterete; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 3–3.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 mm long; 0.2 length of upper glume; 4 -veined. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; coriaceous; purple; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–4 mm long overall. Palea 6–8 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; ciliate. Anthers 3; 5 mm long; pallid. Stigmas 2. Styles 0 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Stapf 2011.

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