Poaceae

Guadua Kunth

First published in J. Phys. Chim. Hist. Nat. Arts 95: 150 (1822)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Mexico to S. Tropical America, Trinidad.

Descriptions

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Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Rhizomes short (27), or elongated (1); pachymorph. Culms erect (18/26), or geniculately ascending (1/26), or arching (5/26), or leaning (2/26), or scandent (4/26); 300-1145-3000 cm long; woody; without nodal roots (1/20), or with aerial roots from the nodes (1/20), or with root thorns from the nodes (19/20). Culm-internodes terete (22/27), or semiterete (5/27). Culm-nodes without obvious supra-nodal ridge (2/7), or with distinct supra-nodal ridge (5/7). Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement one (4/20), or two (8/20), or three (13/20), or several (10/20), or many (1/20); in a horizontal line (1/5), or in a clump (4/5); with 1 branch dominant (9/9); thinner than stem (11/11). Culm-sheaths persistent (2/12), or tardily deciduous (1/12), or deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle (1/12), or deciduous (9/12); without auricles (13/16), or auriculate (6/16). Culm-sheath blade inconspicuous (1/18), or lanceolate (4/18), or ovate (2/18), or triangular (12/18); as wide as sheath at base (2/2). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (21), or erect (2), or falcate (5). Ligule an eciliate membrane (21), or a ciliolate membrane (10). Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades persistent (25), or deciduous at the ligule (3); linear (9), or lanceolate (26), or elliptic (1), or oblong (3), or ovate (2). Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous (5/5). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (20), or with obscure cross veins (1), or with distinct cross veins (8).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Synflorescence simple (1/26), or bractiferous (25/26); scanty (9/25), or paniculate (1/25), or globose (1/25), or clustered at the nodes (15/25); in untidy tufts (14/14); with glumaceous subtending bracts (24/25), or spathaceous subtending bracts (1/25); with axillary buds at base of spikelet (20/20); leafy between clusters (5/15), or leafless between clusters (8/15), or leafless between branches (2/15). Inflorescence a panicle (1/1). Spikelets appressed (3/4), or ascending (4/4), or spreading (1/4), or deflexed (1/4). Fertile spikelets sessile (26/26).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets (5/5), or 2 basal sterile florets (4/5); 1-6-17 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension (1/26), or with diminished florets at the apex (26/26). Spikelets linear (16/26), or lanceolate (10/26), or elliptic (1/26), or oblong (3/26); laterally compressed (19/26), or subterete (7/26); 3-38.49-170 mm long; breaking up at maturity (26/26); disarticulating below each fertile floret (26/26). Rhachilla internodes glabrous (18/25), or pubescent (7/25).
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets (5/5), or 2 basal sterile florets (4/5); 1-6-17 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension (1/26), or with diminished florets at the apex (26/26). Spikelets linear (16/26), or lanceolate (10/26), or elliptic (1/26), or oblong (3/26); laterally compressed (19/26), or subterete (7/26); 3-38.49-170 mm long; breaking up at maturity (26/26); disarticulating below each fertile floret (26/26). Rhachilla internodes glabrous (18/25), or pubescent (7/25).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes two (6/22), or several (16/22); persistent (21/22), or deciduous (1/22); shorter than spikelet (22/22). Lower glume ovate (7/7); 0.25-0.5167-0.8 length of upper glume; membranous (1/4), or coriaceous (3/4); without keels (3/3); 7-9 -veined (2/4), or 10 -veined (1/4), or 11 -veined (3/4), or 12-13 -veined (2/4), or 14-17 -veined (1/4). Lower glume surface smooth (21/22), or asperulous (1/22); glabrous (20/22), or pubescent (2/22). Lower glume apex obtuse (3/6), or acute (4/6), or rostrate (1/6); muticous (6/7), or mucronate (1/7). Upper glume lanceolate (2/17), or ovate (16/17); 0.5-0.65-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous (11/11); without keels (12/12); 7-9 -veined (2/9), or 10 -veined (1/9), or 11-12 -veined (6/9), or 13 -veined (7/9), or 14-15 -veined (6/9), or 16-17 -veined (5/9), or 18-19 -veined (1/9). Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins (4/4). Upper glume surface smooth (21/22), or asperulous (1/22); glabrous (19/22), or puberulous (3/22), or pubescent (3/22). Upper glume apex obtuse (2/13), or acute (11/13), or rostrate (1/13); muticous (12/17), or mucronate (5/17).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren (5/5); with palea (4/5), or without significant palea (2/5). Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (2/5), or elliptic (1/5), or ovate (3/5); chartaceous (2/2); 10-14 -veined (1/4), or 15-16 -veined (2/4), or 17-20 -veined (1/4), or 23-27 -veined (1/4); obtuse (1/4), or acuminate (3/4); mucronate (5/5). Fertile lemma lanceolate (5/25), or elliptic (1/25), or ovate (22/25); coriaceous (26/26); without keel (26/26); 7-17-30 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure (1/5), or prominent (4/5). Lemma surface smooth (25/26), or scaberulous (1/26); glabrous (17/26), or puberulous (6/26), or pubescent (6/26), or pilose (2/26). Lemma margins flat (25/26), or convolute (1/26); exposing palea (25/26), or covering most of palea (1/26); eciliate (20/26), or ciliolate (3/26), or ciliate (3/26). Lemma apex obtuse (2/25), or acute (17/25), or acuminate (3/25), or apiculate (3/25); muticous (14/26), or mucronate (12/26), or awned (2/26); 1 -awned (1/1). Palea 0.75-0.9729-1 length of lemma; 6 -veined (1/9), or 8 -veined (2/9), or 9 -veined (6/9), or 10-11 -veined (5/9), or 12 -veined (3/9), or 13 -veined (2/9). Palea keels winged (26/26); eciliate (16/26), or pubescent (1/26), or ciliolate (6/26), or ciliate (3/26). Palea surface glabrous (20/26), or puberulous (1/26), or pubescent (5/26). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (23/26), or distinct from fertile (3/26); 1 in number (3/3); barren (1/1); rudimentary (2/3), or linear (1/3).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 3 (26/26); membranous (3/3); glabrous (19/26), or ciliate (7/26). Anthers 3 (2/26), or 6 (24/26). Stigmas 3 (26/26). Ovary unappendaged (19/26), or umbonate (7/26); pubescent on apex (2/3), or pubescent all over (1/3).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (25/26), or fleshy pericarp (1/26); fusiform (4/7), or oblong (2/7), or ovoid (1/7), or obovoid (1/7). Embryo 0.2-0.2875-0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear (1/1); 1 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
North America (6), or South America (27).
[GB]

nonem

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Rhizomes absent (1), or short (138), or elongated (2); pachymorph (140/140). Culms erect (114/124), or geniculately ascending (3/124), or arching (2/124), or leaning (1/124), or scandent (4/124); 76-1047-3000 cm long; woody; without nodal roots (73/96), or with aerial roots from the nodes (11/96), or with root thorns from the nodes (26/96). Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes flush with internodes (21/31), or swollen (10/31); without obvious supra-nodal ridge (2/2). Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement one (7/104), or two (6/104), or three (17/104), or several (76/104), or many (21/104); in a clump (19/19); with subequal branches (5/46), or 1 branch dominant (38/46), or 3 branches dominant (3/46); thinner than stem (17/17). Culm-sheaths persistent (4/99), or tardily deciduous (5/99), or deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle (2/99), or deciduous (89/99); without auricles (17/118), or auriculate (102/118). Culm-sheath blade inconspicuous (1/123), or lanceolate (25/123), or narrowly ovate (18/123), or ovate (16/123), or triangular (80/123); constricted at base (10/43), or narrower than sheath (16/43), or as wide as sheath at base (7/43), or cordate (10/43). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (81), or erect (10), or falcate (58). Ligule an eciliate membrane (121), or a ciliolate membrane (18), or a ciliate membrane (6). Leaf-blade base without a false petiole (1), or with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath (140). Leaf-blades persistent (132), or deciduous at the ligule (12); filiform (1), or linear (19), or lanceolate (126), or elliptic (1), or oblong (21), or ovate (4). Leaf-blade midrib evident (3/22), or conspicuous (19/22). Leaf-blade venation without cross veins (129), or with obscure cross veins (8), or with distinct cross veins (6). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Synflorescence bractiferous (79/79); paniculate (1/79), or clustered at the nodes (78/79); in globose clusters (2/78), or stellate clusters (1/78), or oblong clusters (4/78), or untidy tufts (71/78); with glumaceous subtending bracts (59/75), or spathaceous subtending bracts (16/75); with axillary buds at base of spikelet (79/79); leafy between clusters (6/43), or leafless between clusters (36/43), or leafless between branches (3/43). Fertile spikelets sessile (2/2).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1-6-13 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension (3/79), or with a barren rhachilla extension (2/79), or with diminished florets at the apex (74/79). Spikelets linear (17/79), or lanceolate (49/79), or elliptic (1/79), or oblong (4/79), or ovate (15/79); laterally compressed (59/79), or subterete (20/79); 3.32-24.63-75 mm long; breaking up at maturity (79/79); rhachilla deciduous (78/79), or rhachilla persistent (1/79); disarticulating below each fertile floret (77/78), or above glumes but not between florets (1/78); shedding paleas (1/1). Rhachilla internodes glabrous (59/76), or sparsely hairy (2/76), or pubescent (10/76), or pilose (6/76). Floret callus glabrous (1/1).
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1-6-13 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension (3/79), or with a barren rhachilla extension (2/79), or with diminished florets at the apex (74/79). Spikelets linear (17/79), or lanceolate (49/79), or elliptic (1/79), or oblong (4/79), or ovate (15/79); laterally compressed (59/79), or subterete (20/79); 3.32-24.63-75 mm long; breaking up at maturity (79/79); rhachilla deciduous (78/79), or rhachilla persistent (1/79); disarticulating below each fertile floret (77/78), or above glumes but not between florets (1/78); shedding paleas (1/1). Rhachilla internodes glabrous (59/76), or sparsely hairy (2/76), or pubescent (10/76), or pilose (6/76). Floret callus glabrous (1/1).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes both absent or obscure (1/78), or one the lower absent or obscure (8/78), or two (31/78), or several (45/78); persistent (43/43); shorter than spikelet (42/42). Lower glume oblong (1/22), or ovate (21/22); 0.7-0.75-0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous (1/4), or coriaceous (3/4); without keels (5/5); 7 -veined (1/6), or 9 -veined (3/6), or 10-12 -veined (2/6), or 13 -veined (1/6), or 15-17 -veined (1/6). Lower glume surface glabrous (71/73), or pubescent (2/73). Lower glume apex obtuse (2/15), or acute (12/15), or acuminate (1/15); muticous (18/22), or mucronate (4/22). Upper glume lanceolate (2/34), or ovate (32/34); without auricles (77/78), or auriculate at base (1/78); 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous (1/2), or coriaceous (1/2); without keels (3/3), or 1-keeled (1/3); 7 -veined (1/5), or 9-10 -veined (2/5), or 11 -veined (3/5), or 12-13 -veined (2/5), or 22 -veined (1/5). Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins (1/1). Upper glume surface smooth (77/78), or scabrous (1/78); glabrous (76/78), or pubescent (2/78). Upper glume apex obtuse (2/19), or acute (15/19), or acuminate (2/19); muticous (27/34), or mucronate (7/34).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate (17/78), or elliptic (2/78), or oblong (2/78), or ovate (63/78); chartaceous (4/5), or coriaceous (1/5); without keel (77/79), or keeled (2/79); 7-17-32 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure (3/3), or distinct (1/3). Lemma surface smooth (77/79), or scabrous (2/79); glabrous (77/79), or puberulous (1/79), or pubescent (1/79). Lemma margins eciliate (57/79), or ciliolate (9/79), or ciliate (14/79). Lemma apex obtuse (7/74), or acute (56/74), or acuminate (8/74), or attenuate (1/74), or cuspidate (2/74), or apiculate (4/74); without ornament (76/79), or scabrous (1/79), or pubescent (2/79); muticous (62/79), or mucronate (16/79), or awned (1/79); 1 -awned (1/1). Palea 1-1.005-1.1 length of lemma; membranous (78/79), or chartaceous (1/79); 3-10-18 -veined; 2-keeled but the uppermost without keels (1/79), or 2-keeled (78/79). Palea keels separated (77/79), or approximate (1/79), or contiguous above a sulcus (1/79); wingless (78/79), or winged (1/79); smooth (77/79), or scabrous (2/79); eciliate (22/79), or pubescent (3/79), or ciliolate (24/79), or ciliate (31/79). Palea surface glabrous (68/79), or puberulous (2/79), or pubescent (4/79), or pilose (6/79), or hirsute (1/79). Palea apex entire (2/6), or dentate (5/6). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped (68/74), or distinct from fertile (7/74); 1 in number (7/7); male (1/5), or barren (4/5); rudimentary (4/6), or linear (1/6), or elliptic (1/6).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent (6/78), or 2 (3/78), or 3 (71/78); membranous (67/67); glabrous (13/73), or ciliate (60/73). Anthers 3 (1/79), or 6 (78/79), or 7 (1/79). Stigmas 1 (6/77), or 2 (13/77), or 3 (69/77); plumose (71/79), or sparsely hairy (3/79), or pubescent (6/79), or retrorsely barbellate (1/79). Ovary unappendaged (30/79), or umbonate (49/79); glabrous (7/54), or with a few apical hairs (3/54), or pubescent on apex (44/54), or pubescent all over (1/54).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (52/52); fusiform (1/12), or ellipsoid (1/12), or oblong (5/12), or ovoid (4/12), or obovoid (1/12). Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
Africa (4), or Temperate Asia (86), or Tropical Asia (67), or Australasia (5), or Pacific (9), or North America (1), or South America (5).
[GB]

Sources

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images