Arthrostylidium fimbriatum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms scandent; slender; 30–100 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement one; solitary; subtended by a bare patch above the node. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 10–20 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades spreading, or reflexed; deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 5–10 cm long; 4–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary.

Racemes 1; single; straight; bilateral; 15–30 cm long. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 3 empty glumes; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 4–5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma apex acute; awned. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Bambuseae. Man Gr WI 1997.

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