Chusquea multiramosa

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; 400–700 cm long; 10–30 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; 13–25 cm long; scaberulous. Culm-nodes with distinct supra-nodal ridge. Lateral branches dendroid; infravaginal. Branch complement many; in several rows; with subequal branches; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths persistent; 13–23 cm long; 0.5–0.66 length of internode; hispid. Culm-sheath ligule 0.6 mm high; purple. Culm-sheath blade triangular; as wide as sheath at base; erect; 2.4–3.4 cm long; pubescent; mucronate. Leaves 8–12 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.4–0.6 mm long. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.6 cm long; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–8(–12) cm long; 3–6(–8) 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; 3–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1.5–2 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels straight, or sinuous; 1.4–3 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; 7.3–8.9 mm long; 1.4–1.8 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.4–0.7 mm long; 0.07–0.08 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume ovate; 0.7–1.5 mm long; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 3.6–4.8 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; 3 -veined. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 4.8–6.2 mm long; chartaceous. Fertile lemma ovate; 7.1–8.9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; (5–)7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above. Lemma apex acute. Palea 7.2–8 mm long; 1 length of lemma; 4 -veined. Palea surface glabrous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1–1.4 mm long; ciliate. Anthers 3; (3–)4–5.3 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.