空竹 kong zhu

Cephalostachyum fuchsianum Gamble; Schizostachyum fuchsianum (Gamble) R. B. Majumdar; S. latifolium (Munro) R. B. Majumdar.

Culms erect, 16–20 m, 3–3.5 cm in diam.; internodes 50–80 cm, smooth, glabrous; wall thin; nodal ridge not prominent. Branches many, clustered at each node, subequal. Culm sheaths deciduous, yellow, 20–38 cm, papery, densely brown ciliate, apex rounded and projecting upward on both sides of blade; auricles conspicuous; oral setae developed; ligule short; blade reflexed, narrowly lanceolate, to 25 cm, papery, articulate with sheath, adaxially ciliate, apex acute. Leaf sheaths 7–8 cm, pubescent, auricles inconspicuous; ligule truncate, short; blade ovate-elliptic, 25–30 × 8–10 cm, glabrous. Inflorescence capitate, solitary at tip of leafy branch, 2.5–5 cm in diam., subtended by bracts. Pseudospikelet 2–2.5 × 0.3–0.4 cm, with a rachilla extension. Glumes 1.5–2 cm, long mucronate or awned; lemma similar to glumes; palea slightly longer than lemma, membranous; lodicules 3, lanceolate, apex ciliate. Stamens 6; anthers yellow. Ovary ovoid; style 1; stigmas 2 or 3, plumose. Caryopsis nutlike, shortly apiculate.

1200–2000 m. Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Myanmar].

Cephalostachyum fuchsianum was described from older material of C. latifolium, most of which lacked the distinctive but soon deciduous oral setae. This description from Chinese material is not entirely consistent with typical C. latifolium.