Guadua Refracta

HABIT:

• Perennial; caespitose.
• Rhizomes short; pachymorph.
• Culms erect; 600–1200 cm long; woody.
• Culm-internodes terete; solid; distally pubescent.
• Lateral branches dendroid.
• Branch complement several; in a clump.
• Leaf-sheaths hirsute.
• Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; deciduous.
• Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate.
• Collar with external ligule.
• Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole pubescent.
• Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 15–20 cm long; 5–10 mm wide.
• Leaf-blade venation prominent; with 10–16 secondary veins; without cross veins.
• Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; pilose; hairy abaxially.
• Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
• Leaf-blade apex acute.

 

INFLORESCENCE:

• Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; 1–4 cm between clusters; with spathaceous subtending bracts; bracts 2–3 mm long; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between branches.

 

FERTILE SPIKELETS:

• Spikelets comprising 6–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex.
• Spikelets linear; subterete; 15–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

 

GLUMES:

• Glumes several; comprising 1–3 gemmiferous bracts; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet.

 

FLORETS:

• Fertile lemma ovate; 6–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–11 -veined.
• Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose.
• Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate.
• Palea 1 length of lemma.
• Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged; ciliolate.
• Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

 

FLOWER:

• Lodicules 3.
• Anthers 6.
• Stigmas 3.

 

FRUIT:

• Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

 

DISTRIBUTION:

• Brazil

 

Sources:
GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
INBAR (International Network for Bamboo and Rattan)