Chusquea mollis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph; knotty. Culms erect; 150–450 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 10–20 mm long; membranous; brown; lacerate. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 20–75 cm long; 20–40 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 45–80 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 10–20 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1 mm long; coriaceous; 1-keeled. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1 mm long; coriaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; coriaceous. Fertile lemma ovate; 2 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Bambuseae. Swallen 1996.

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