BAMBOOS OF INDI A

Ochlandra
Ochlandra ebracteata
Ochlandra ebracteata Raizada and Chatterji, Indian For. 89: 362. 1963; Tewari, Monogr. Bamboo 110.1992; Kumar,
Rheedea 5(1): 68.1995. (Fig. 56).
VERNACULAR NAME
Kerala - Valleeta.
DESCRIPTION
An erect, shrubby or arborescent, reed-like,
gregarious bamboo, clumps tufted,
comprising 60-70 culms. Culms up to 4.6 m
high. 1.9-3.8 cm diameter, nodes shining
green, internode 45.7 cm long. culm-sheaths
13-15 cm long excluding the blade, 6-11 cm
broad, covered with many appressed,
chocolate-brown to black subulate hairs;
blade 12-15 cm long, 1.5-2 cm broad,
lanceolate-acuminate; ligule 5-9 mm long.
Leaves narrow to broadly oblong-lanceolate,
40-50 cm long, 6-11 cm broad; more or less
cuneate at base, glabrous on both sides;
petiole grooved and twisted, 2-10 mm long,
apex long acuminate and scabrous, both
surfaces glabrous, margin smooth to very
slightly scabrous, midrib thick and raised
below, secondary veins 10-15 pairs,
intermediate 6-8, transverse veinlets
numerous; leaf-sheath longitudinally striate,
glabrous and 2 short ciliate auricles; ligule
2-4 mm, arching. Inflorescence a flagellate
spike of sub-verticillate to verticillate clusters
of sessile spikelets with a few comparatively
large fertile spikelets mixed with smaller
sterile ones. Fertile spikelets 2.5-3 cm long
0.5-0.7 cm broad, cylindro-conical, smooth,
➤
line 56
Fig. 56. O. ebracteata. A - leafy branch; B - culm-sheath; C - flowering
branch; D - empty glumes; E - flowering glume; F - palea; G - lodicules;
H - stamens around pistil; I - stamen; J - pistil; K - caryopsis.
shining, glabrous. Sterile glumes 2-4, 0.6-1.3 cm long in flower, 1.3-1.8 in fruit, fertile glume 1.75 cm long in flower,
2.5-3 cm in fruit. Palea slightly shorter than fertile lemma, thinner in texture, lodicules 4. Stamens numerous,
monadelphous; anthers 10-15 mm long; ovary very small, dorsally compressed, somewhat spherical; styles fused into a
long and thick rostrum surmounted by 7-9 plumose, spirally twisted stigmas. Caryopsis 6.0 x 1.5 cm, light chocolate
brown, oblong, somewhat wrinkled ending in a conical beak.
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