Nastus borbonicus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 800–1000 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–15 cm long; 6–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 4–8 cm long.

Spikelets solitary.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 4 empty glumes; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1–2 mm long; chartaceous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 5 mm long; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; ovate; 7 mm long; coriaceous. Fertile lemma ovate; 7–8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2-keeled. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; elliptic.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Bambuseae. Camus 2002.

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