Chusquea aurea

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; 200–600 cm long; 5–15 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 13–27 cm long. Culm-nodes with distinct supra-nodal ridge. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal. Branch complement many; in several rows; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous; 15–19 cm long; hispid; with tawny hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 0.2–0.3 mm high; brown. Culm-sheath blade triangular; erect; 1.4–4.8 cm long; hispid; acute. Leaves 3–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades linear; (4–)5–10(–13) cm long; 2.3–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 3–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches 0.4–0.8 cm long. Panicle axis puberulous. Panicle branches puberulous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels straight, or sinuous; 0.5–2.4 mm long; puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed, or subterete; compressed slightly; 4.6–5.4 mm long; 1.2–1.4 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.8–1.5 mm long; 0.16–0.2 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface puberulous. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–2 mm long; 0.25–0.5 length of spikelet; without keels; 3 -veined. 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; 2.2–2.8 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; 3 -veined; ciliolate on margins. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 3–3.6 mm long; ciliolate on margins. Fertile lemma ovate; 4.3–5.4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex acute. Palea 4–4.4 mm long; 4–6 -veined; 2-keeled. Palea surface glabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 0.8 mm long; ciliate. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Clark & Ely 2014.

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