Schizostachyum chinense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 300–500 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches dendroid. Culm-sheaths without auricles. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; with spathaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; with 2-keeled prophylls.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; comprising 3 gemmiferous bracts; 3 empty glumes; lower persistent, upper deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–9 mm long. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 10–11 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex truncate to acute. Palea tightly convolute around flower; 12 mm long; chartaceous. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Palea apex obtuse.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; veined; ciliate. Anthers 6; 7–9 mm long. Stigmas 3. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Bambuseae. McClure 1996.

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