Bambusa longipalea

Description

HABIT Perennial;caespitose.Rhizomes short;pachymorph.Culms erect;400–800 cm long;30–60 mm diam.;woody;with root thorns from the nodes.Culm-internodes terete;25–34 cm long.Culm-nodes glabrous.Lateral branches dendroid.Branch complement several.Culm-sheaths deciduous;glabrous;auriculate;with equal auricles;ciliate on shoulders.Culm-sheath ligule 8 mm high;dentate.Culm-sheath blade triangular.Leaves cauline.Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose;5–10 mm long.Leaf-sheath auricles falcate.Ligule an eciliate membrane;0.5–1 mm long.Collar with external ligule.Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath.Leaf-blades lanceolate;6.5–20 cm long;5–18 mm wide.Leaf-blade venation with 10–12 secondary veins.Leaf-blade surface pubescent;hairy abaxially.Leaf-blade apex acuminate. INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous;clustered at the nodes;in untidy tufts;with glumaceous subtending bracts;with axillary buds at base of spikelet;prophyllate below lateral spikelets. FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–8 fertile florets;with diminished florets at the apex.Spikelets lanceolate;laterally compressed;40–50 mm long;breaking up at maturity;disarticulating below each fertile floret.Rhachilla internodes definite;3.5–4 mm long;pubescent. GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure,or one the lower absent or obscure;0–1 empty glumes;persistent;shorter than spikelet. FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate;10–11 mm long;without keel.Lemma surface glabrous.Lemma apex acute.Palea 1.1 length of lemma.Palea keels ciliolate;adorned above.Palea surface pubescent.Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. FLOWER Lodicules 3;3–3.5 mm long;membranous;ciliate.Anthers 6;5 mm long.Stigmas 3.