Chusquea andina

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 60 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2.6 cm long; 4.6 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with 4 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pilose above.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 3–6 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without 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; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long. Upper glume ovate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 0.25 length of spikelet. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate. Fertile lemma ovate; 6–8 mm long; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins extending close to apex. Lemma apex acuminate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Phillipi 2014.

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