Racemobambos hirsuta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect, or leaning; 300–500 cm long; 5–10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 40–60 cm long; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes flush with internodes. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; with subequal branches. Culm-sheaths deciduous; chartaceous; glabrous; hairy on margins; without auricles. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; reflexed; 7–8 cm long; 5 mm wide; glabrous on surface. Leaves cauline; 6–8 per branch. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–25 cm long; 30–40 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; bracteate at pedicel base.

Racemes 1; single; paucilateral; 15 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 4–5 fertile spikelets on each.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 50–60 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 10 mm long; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Palea surface pubescent. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Bam Sabah 1996.

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