糙花箭竹 cao hua jian zhu

Rhizome neck 4.5–26 cm, 6–16 mm in diam. Culms 1.8–3.5 m, 0.5–1 cm in diam.; internodes terete, 17–20 cm, initially slightly white powdery or not, glabrous; wall 2–4 mm thick; supra-nodal ridges level or weakly prominent; sheath scar greatly prominent, broad, thick, initially gray setulose. Branches 3–8 per node, erect or deflexed. Culm sheaths persistent, light red-brown, triangular to narrowly rounded, 1/3–1/2 as long as internodes, leathery, abaxially sparsely gray to gray-yellow setulose, longitudinal ribs prominent, margins densely gray-yellow setulose; auricles and oral setae absent or obscure; ligule arcuate, ca. 1 mm, margins densely gray ciliolate; blade erect, triangular or linear-triangular, margins usually sparsely setulose. Leaves 2 or 3 per ultimate branch; sheath margins gray-yellow ciliate; auricles and oral setae absent or obscure; ligule truncate, ca. 1 mm, ciliate; blade lanceolate, 12–18 × 1.1–1.8 cm, abaxially pubescent, secondary veins 4-paired, transverse veins obscure, base broadly cuneate, margins spinescent-serrulate. Inflorescence a panicle, initially terminal to a leafy shoot. Spikelets 6–12, 1.5–3 cm, rachilla internodes 1–2 mm; florets 5–7. Glumes 2, setulose, apex long mucronate; lemma lanceolate, setulose, apex long mucronate; palea keels serrulate; lodicule margins sparsely ciliolate. Anthers yellow. Ovary oblong, glabrous; styles 2 or 3; stigmas 3. Caryopsis unknown. New shoots late Apr–early May.

* 1500–2000 m. S Gansu, N Sichuan.

This species is somewhat intermediate between Fargesia and Yushania in having a less condensed inflorescence, suggesting that Borinda may be the appropriate genus.

The shoots are sweet and are an important source of food for the giant panda.