Chusquea clarkiae

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; 800–1000 cm long; 10–15 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes solid. Culm-nodes with distinct supra-nodal ridge. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal. Bud complement 5. Branch complement several; in a clump. Culm-sheaths persistent; 20 cm long; retrorsely scabrous. Culm-sheath ligule 0.05–0.1 mm high. Culm-sheath blade linear; indistinctly demarcated from sheath; erect; 6.5–8.5 cm long; 3–5 mm wide; scabrid. Leaves 4–7 per branch. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 7–12 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 13–20 cm long; 15–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 23–30 cm long; 1.5–2.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2.5–6.5 cm long. Panicle axis angular; scabrous; puberulous. Panicle branches angular; scabrous; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 8.5–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2–4.5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1–5(–7) -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 3–5 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–7(–9) -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 5–6.5 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; (5–)7–9(–11) -veined; acuminate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 7.5–9 mm long; chartaceous; acuminate. Fertile lemma ovate; 8.5–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9–11 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 8–9.5 mm long; 4 -veined. Palea surface puberulous; hairy above. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.7–2 mm long; ciliate. Anthers 3; 3.5–4.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Londono & Judz. 2014.

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