Rhipidocladum

Rhipidocladum is a genus of bamboo native to the Americas. It belongs to the Bambusóideas subfamily, within the grass family or Poaceae.

Morphological description

Pachymorphic rhizomes, culms 7 to 22 m long, generally decumbent in the surrounding vegetation; 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter. Branches per node can vary between 30 and 200 depending on the species, not whorled but growing fan-shaped at the base. Primary branches up to 35 cm long. Culms or stem leaves smooth and shiny, not persistent on the lower internodes. They have 12 to 32 spikelets per cluster, depending on the species.

Distinctive features

Primary branches growing fan-shaped and in number that varies from 35 to 200 depending on the species. Culm hollow and brittle. Secondary branches up to 35 cm long.

Worldwide distribution

The genus Rhipidocladum is distributed naturally from Mexico to Argentina and Chile.

Habitat

Gallery forests, riparian. Medium jungles. Ecotones. 200 to 900 m s. no. m.

Taxonomy

The genus was described by Floyd Alonzo McClure and published in Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 9: 101, f. 42. 1973. The type species is: Rhipidocladum harmonicum (Parodi) McClure

Species

Within the genre three sections are recognized:

• Rhipidocladum sect. Didymogonyx L.G.Clark & Londoño
• Rhipidocladum sect. Racemiflourm
• Rhipidocladum sect. Rhipidocladum

and a total of 19 species:

• Rhipidocladum Abregoense Londoño & L.G.Clark
• Rhipidocladum ampliflorum (McClure) McClure
• Rhipidocladum angustiflorum (Stapf) McClure
• Rhipidocladum bartlettii (McClure) McClure
• Rhipidocladum clarkiae R.W.Pohl
• Rhipidocladum geminatum (McClure) McClure
• Rhipidocladum harmonicum (Parodi) McClure
• Rhipidocladum longispiculatum Londoño & L.G.Clark
• Rhipidocladum martinezii Davidse " R.W.Pohl
• Rhipidocladum maxonii (Hitchc.) McClure
• Rhipidocladum neumanii Sulekic, Rúgolo & L.G.Clark
• Rhipidocladum Pacuarense R.W.Pohl
• Panamanian Rhipidocladum R.W.Pohl
• Rhipidocladum parviflorum (Trin.) McClure
• Rhipidocladum pittieri (Hack.) McClure
• Rhipidocladum prestoei (Munro) McClure
• Rhipidocladum racemiflorum (Steud) McClure
• Rhipidocladum sibilans Davidse, Judz. & L.G.Clark
• Rhipidocladum verticillatum (Nees) McClure.