八月竹 ba yue zhu

Arundinaria szechuanensis Rendle in Sargent, Pl. Wilson. 2: 64. 1914; Oreocalamus szechuanensis (Rendle) Keng.

Culms 2.5–4(–6) m tall, 1.5–2 cm in diam.; internodes terete or obscurely 4-anged, 18–22 cm, grooved and ridged above branches, glabrate; basal nodes with rings of root thorns. Branches 3 per node. Culm sheaths deciduous, shorter than internodes, thickly papery, glabrous, main veins purple, transverse veins distally prominent, margins ciliate; ligule 0.5–1 mm; blade subulate-triangular, 3–5 mm, articulate. Leaves 1–3 per ultimate branch; sheaths leathery, glabrous, margins ciliate; oral setae pale, 3–5 mm; ligule 1–1.5 mm; leaf blade oblong-lanceolate, 18–20 × 1.2–1.5 cm, secondary veins 4–6-paired. Pseudospikelets without bracts or with 1–4 bracts, upper 1 or 2 with buds or secondary spikelets; florets 3 or 4. Glumes 2 or 3; lemma ovate-lanceolate, 7–9-veined, apex gradually acuminate. Palea narrowly ovate, subequal to lemma. Anthers yellow. Ovary ovoid; style short, divided nearly from base. Caryopsis nutlike, ovoid-ellipsoid, ca. 16 × 6 mm.

* Mountain areas; 1000–2400 m. Sichuan.

This species is not to be confused with Chimonobambusa si-chuanensis (species no. 1).