Chusquea egluma

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 250–300 cm long; 2–5 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; solid; 10–13.5 cm long; smooth. Culm-nodes with distinct supra-nodal ridge; glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid; intravaginal. Branch complement several; in a horizontal line; with 1 branch dominant. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2.5 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.15–1.25 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades linear; 9–13 cm long; 5–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 7 cm long; 1 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 3.2–3.5 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1 -veined; without lateral veins; scabrous; rough on midvein; pubescent; hairy above. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; chartaceous; scabrous. Fertile lemma ovate; 4–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; pubescent. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 3–4 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus; ciliolate. Palea surface scabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1 mm long. Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Guerreiro & Rugolo 2014.

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