Racemobambos hirta

HABIT Perennial. Culms scandent; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes flush with internodes. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; with 1 branch dominant. Culm-sheaths deciduous; chartaceous; glabrous; without auricles. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 6–10 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear; 4–8 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 10 fertile spikelets; bracteate at pedicel base; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle 3–4 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 4 mm long; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes two; persistent; shorter than spikelet.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma surface hirsute. Palea 2–3 -veined. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1 mm long. Anthers 6; 3 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Bambuseae. Holttum 1996.

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