中华业平竹 zhong hua ye ping zhu

Culms 3–5 m, 1–1.5 cm in diam.; internodes initially green, flattened above branches, 15–27 cm, glabrous; nodes with prominent supra-nodal ridge; sheath scar prominent; intranode 2–3 mm. Branches 3, subequal. Culm sheaths deciduous, initially green, becoming yellowish brown, hispid, margin and base glabrous; auricles brown, falcate; oral setae ca. 4 mm; ligule arched or truncate, glabrous; blade erect, dark green, narrowly lanceolate, margin recurved. Leaves 3–5 per ultimate branch; sheaths green, striate, 3.5–4.5 cm, glabrous, margins ciliate; auricles ovate to ellipsoid, oral setae gray, 3–4 mm; ligule ca. 2 mm; blade lanceolate, 9–16 × 1.4–2.2 cm, glabrous, base obtuse, contracted into pseudopetiole 9–12 mm, lateral veins 4 or 5 pairs, transverse veins distinct, margins serrate, apex acuminate. Inflorescence panicle-like, with 6–11 spikelets, spathes ca. 25 × 8 mm; spikelets 55–60 mm; florets 5 or 6. Glumes 1 or 2; lemmas ca. 17 × 6 mm, glabrous, with 9 longitudinal veins, apex mucronate; palea ca. 1.4 cm, 2-keeled, with transverse veins prominent, margins and keel ciliate, apex acuminate, bifid; lodicules 3, narrowly rhomboid, membranous, apex white ciliate. Ovary oblong, glabrous; styles to 8–12 mm; stigmas bifid, plumose. New shoots May.

* Jiangsu, Zhejiang.

This species differs from Semiarundinaria fastuosa by its hispid culm sheath. It is known only in cultivation and is likely a cultivar of that species.