Cephalostachyum pallidum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 100–200 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty; deciduous. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.5 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 2.5–12.5 cm long; 12–25 mm wide; light green. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade venation with 8–12 secondary veins; without cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform; antrorsely scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; globose; 2.5 cm long; dense; with spathaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 17.5–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume ovate; 12.5–15 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy above. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 17.5–20 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; veined; ciliate. Anthers 6. Filaments free. Stigmas 2. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage; glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp; ovoid, or orbicular.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Bambuseae. Gamble 1996.

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