Indosasa McClure

Abstract

Arborescent or shrubby bamboos. Rhizomes monopodium. Culms, diffuse and erect; internodes terete, the base grooved on the branching side, pith sawdust-like or spongy; nodes a little prominent to prominent. Buds one. Branches usually 3, the middle one thick. Culm leaves deciduous, sheaths leathery, setose abaxially, usually without spots; auricles present or absent; blades triangular or triangular-lanceolate or belt-lanceolate, erect or reflexed. Foliage leaves 1 to several; auricles present or absent; blades moderate in size, transverse veins conspicuous. Flowering branches with or without leaves, paniculate or racemose; pseudospikelets short and thick or slender, usually 1–3 clustered on lower nodes of leaved branches, occasionally single pseudospikelet present on the apex of leaved branches, lateral pseudospikelets sessile, subtended by one prophyll and 0–8 gradually larger bracts, all or some bracts with buds, some buds developing into secondary pseudospikelets; many florets for each pseudospikelet, basal 1–4 florets sometimes fertile, but with hypogenetic palea and part of florets; glumes 0 to several, brack-like; lemma with many veins; apex of palea blunt, 2 keels; lodicules 3, nearly equal; stamens 6, filaments free; style 1, short, stigmas 3, plumose. Caryopses, apex with short persistent style. New shoots spring to early summer.