Chusquea subg. Platonia

Guerreiro, Carolina, Olivera, J. José Alegría, Rúgolo De Agrasar, Ma. E., Beck, Stephan G. & Vega, Andrea S., 2014, Two new species and synopsis of Chusquea subg. Platonia (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Chusqueinae) in Bolivia and a new record for Peru, Phytotaxa 183 (4), pp. 224-238 : 233

Key to the species of Chusquea subg. Platonia from Bolivia based on vegetative characters

1. Foliage leaf blades with midrib in centric position, 8–26 × 1.7–2.6 cm, broadly lanceolate, base obtuse, apex acute;pseudopetiole 0.2–0.4 cm long, scarcely developed, or absent;inner ligule 1–2 mm long with fimbriae 5–10 mm long; culms plurinoded with internodes well developed throughout its length; foliage leaves cauline, numerous, with persistent sheaths and deciduous blades. Foliage leaves (with sheath and blade) crowded toward the apex of the culms ................................................. ........................................................................................................................................................................................ C. laegaardii

- Foliage leaf blades with midrib in eccentric position, (27–)35–200 × (1.5–) 2–4 cm, narrowly lanceolate, base attenuate, apex acuminate and navicular. Pseudopetiole (1.5–) 9–17.5 cm long, variable in length in subtending leaves of the synflorescence and foliage leaves of the same specimen, or well developed. Inner ligule 6–9 mm long, without fimbriae. Culms few-noded with basal internodes scarcely elongated. Foliage leaves basal, scanty, with persistent sheaths and blades ......................................................2

2. Foliage leaf blades (27–)35–65(–120) × (1.5–) 2–3.3 cm, adaxially not tessellate, abaxially weakly tessellate. Outer ligule 0.5 mm long. Inner ligule 6–8 mm long. Pseudopetiole (1.5–) 9–17.5 cm long. Plants 2–2.5 m high, including synflorescence. Culm leaves 1–10 cm long, sheath margin sometimes ciliate, blades reduced to a rigid mucro and inner ligule 0.2 mm long, a membranous margin .............................................................................................................................. C. asymmetrica

- Foliage leaf blades 75–200 × 2–4 cm, adaxially weakly tessellate or not tessellate, abaxially tessellate or weakly tessellate. Outer ligule absent or reduced. Inner ligule 4.5–9 mm long. Pseudopetiole 0.7 cm long (in subtending leaf of the synflorescence) or well developed. Plants 2.5–3 m high, including synflorescence. Culm leaves mucronate or with a reduced blade, sheath margin glabrous ..................................................................................................... 3

3. Foliage leaf blades 75–86 × 2.5–4 cm, apex acuminate, adaxially weakly tessellate, abaxially tessellate. Outer ligule absent. Inner ligule 4.5 mm long. Pseudopetiole 12–22 cm long ............................................................................................................. C. parodii

- Foliage leaf blades (91–)150–200 × 2 cm, apex acute, adaxially not tessellate, abaxially weakly tessellate. Outer ligule ca. 1 mm long. Inner ligule ca. 9 mm long. Pseudopetiole 0.7 cm long (in subtending leaf of the inflorescence) or 5–8 cm in foliage leaves.................................................................................................................................. C. paucispiculata