粉箪竹 fen dan zhu

Lingnania chungii (McClure) McClure; L. chungii var. petilla T. H. Wen.

Culms 5–10(–18) m, 3–5(–7) cm in diam.; internodes 30–45(–100) cm, initially white powdery, glabrous; wall 3–5 mm thick; nodes flat; sheath scars corky, initially with a ring of dense, brown hairs; branching from distal nodes only. Branches many, subequal. Culm sheaths deciduous, thinly leathery, initially white powdery, silky hairy, apex later glabrous, concave; auricles narrowly oblong, glossy; ligule ca. 1.5 mm, serrulate or long fimbriate; blade deciduous, strongly reflexed, base 1/5–1/3 as wide as sheath apex, adaxially hispidulous. Leaf sheaths glabrous; auricles usually developed; oral setae straight; blade lanceolate, 10–16(–20) × 1–2(–3.5) cm. Pseudospikelets ca. 2 cm; gemmiferous bracts 1 or 2; florets 4 or 5. Glumes 1 or 2; lemma 9–12 mm; palea about as long as lemma. Styles 1–2 mm; stigmas 3 or 2. Caryopsis triangular, 8–9 mm.

* Lowland hilly areas; 100–500 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, S Hunan, SE Yunnan.

The culms are used for weaving and papermaking. The species is also planted as an ornamental because of the dense, persistent, white wax on the culms.