早竹 zao zhu

Bambusa violascens Carrière, Rev. Hort. 1869: 292. 1869; Phyllostachys praecox C. D. Chu & C. S. Chao.

Culms 8–10 m, 4–6 cm in diam.; internodes 15–25 cm, initially white powdery, glabrous; nodes initially dark purple, nodal ridge and sheath scar moderately elevated. Culm sheaths brown-green or dark brown, with scattered, variably sized spots and purple stripes, white powdery, glabrous; auricles and oral setae absent; ligule brown-green or purple-brown, arcuate, broader than base of blade, both sides decurrent, ciliolate; blade reflexed, green or purple-brown, narrowly linear-lanceolate, strongly crinkled or flat in upper culm. Leaves 2 or 3(–6) per ultimate branch; auricles and oral setae absent; blade 6–18 × 0.8–2.2 cm. Flowering branchlets spicate, 4–5(–7) cm; scaly bracts 4–6, gradually larger; spathes 5–7, glabrous or sparsely puberulent; auricles and oral setae absent; blade lanceolate to subulate, small. Pseudospikelets 2 per spathe, lateral one usually sterile, terminal one with 2 florets, upper floret usually aborted. Glumes 1, puberulent; lemma 2.5–2.8 cm, sparsely puberulent; palea 2–2.5 cm, distally sparsely puberulent; lodicules ca. 3 mm. Anthers 1.2–1.3 cm. Stigmas 2. New shoots Mar–Apr, fl. Apr–May.

* Cultivated. Anhui, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Zhejiang.

This species is planted mainly for the production of early spring shoots.