毛龙头竹 mao long tou zhu

Fargesia aurita T. P. Yi.

Rhizome neck 10–15 cm. Culms 1.5–3.5 m, 0.5–1.5 cm in diam.; internodes terete, 15–20 cm, initially thinly white powdery, glabrous; wall 3–5 mm thick; supra-nodal ridges prominent; sheath scar greatly prominent, ridged. Branches 5–12 per node, deflexed. Culm sheaths deciduous, pale yellow-brown, narrowly triangular or narrowly rounded-triangular, shorter than internode, papery, pale yellow or yellow-brown setose, longitudinal ribs very prominent, margins glabrous, apex triangular; auricles and oral setae absent; ligule purple, arcuate, ca. 1 mm, initially white-gray ciliolate; blade erect, linear-triangular or triangular, glabrous, margins serrulate. Leaves 2–5 per ultimate branch; sheath margins yellow-brown ciliate; auricles purple, nearly circular; oral setae few, gray-yellow, 2–5 mm; ligule arcuate, glabrous; blade lanceolate, 7–14.5 × 0.6–1.6 cm, abaxially proximally white-gray pubescent, secondary veins 3- or 4-paired, transverse veins distinct, base cuneate, margins serrulate. Inflorescence unknown. New shoots late Apr–early May.

* 1100–1700 m. W Hubei, NW Hunan, SW Shaanxi, E Sichuan.

This species is an important source of food for the giant panda in Fuping, Shaanxi Province.