Bambusa binghamii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1–0.2 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 7–15 cm long; 10–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade venation with 10–12 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafy between clusters.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; clavate; eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes several; 1–2 empty glumes; persistent; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 5–6 mm long; without keel. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 6; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 3; plumose. Ovary umbonate; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; sulcate on hilar side; hairy at apex.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gamble 1995.

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