Patellocalamus W. T. Lin.

Shrubby bamboos. Rhizomes short necked, pachymorph. Culms unicaespitose, pendulous or scrambling; internodes terete, finely ridged; nodal sheath scars usually prominent, often with corky collar. Mid-culm bud broadly ovoid, bud scale thick, initially closed at front, branch sheathing reduced, several branch initials becoming visible. Branches many, geniculate, central often dominant. Culm sheaths deciduous, papery, shorter than internodes; ligule conspicuous; auricles usually developed, often with conspicuous oral setae; blade often foliar, reflexed, lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate. Leaves small to large; ligule conspicuous; auricles usually conspicuous; blade with inconspicuous transverse veins. Inflorescence ebracteate or with few reduced sheaths, semelauctant, interrupted clustered pendulous panicles on leafy or leafless flowering branches. Spikelets pendulous on long, wiry inflorescence branches and curved pedicels, 2–7 flowered, followed by a sterile floret; rachilla internodes disarticulating, ca. 1/2 as long as florets. Glumes 2, thin; lemma papery; palea equal to or longer than lemma, 2-keeled, obtuse; lodicules 3, transparent. Stamens 3; filaments free, long exserted; anthers yellow. Ovary appendage absent; style 1; stigmas 2, plumose. Caryopsis ovoid to oblong, glabrous. New shoots late summer.

In addition to the species treated below, Ampelocalamus anhispidis T. H. Wen (J. Bamboo Res. 4(2): 11. 1985) was described from Hunan. From the original description, its placement in Ampelocalamus would appear somewhat speculative. More gatherings are required.

About 13 species: from C Himalayas to S China; 13 species (12 endemic) in China.

(Authors: Li Dezhu (李德铢); Chris Stapleton)