Fargesia Franchet

Abstract

Shrubby or dunga-runga-like alpine bamboos. Rhizomes pachymorph, with short and thick culm neck; internodes often less than 5 mm long, and the ratio of length and thickness less than 1, solid; anatomically without endothelial layer, usually no air canal. Culms unicaespitose or nearly diffuse, erect; internodes terete, hollow, or nearly solid; vascular bundles open or semi-open; nodes flat or slightly prominent, usually lower than sheath scars. Bud 1, oblong-ovate, adnate, or numerous forming semicircle, not adnate. Branches several to many, no dominant branches or seldom present. Culm leaves tardily deciduous or persistent, sheaths papery or coriaceous, shorter, nearly as long as or longer than internodes; auricles absent or conspicuous; blades triangular-lanceolate or banded, erect or reflexed, deciduous or rare persistent. Foliage leaves several, small to medium sized; transverse veins prominent or inconspicuous. Inflorescence terminal, racemose or paniculate, compressed or open, subtended by a series of small or large spathes, which makes the inflorescence unilateral or above it; pedicels long; spikelets slender, florets several; rachilla disarticulated; glumes 2; lemma apically acute or awned, veins several, transverse veins prominent; palea equal to or shorter than lemma, 2-keeled, apex bifid; lodicules 3, ciliate; stamens 3, filaments free, anthers yellow; ovary oblong, styles 1 or 2; stigmas 2 or 3, plumose. Chromosome number 2n = 48. New shoots summer to autumn. Flowering and fruiting summer.