Snap

Chusquea is a genus of plants in the grass family (Poaceae). There are about 120 species, mostly mountain, native to southern Mexico to southern Chile and Argentina. In the páramo ecosystems of the Andes it is called bamboo. The stems (their canes) of these species are solid and not hollow.

Description

Detail of the stems (Chusquea quila)

Stems solid, usually fistulous with age, normally branching in the vegetative state. stem leaf-sheaths without auricles; blades articulated with sheaths, but generally erect, not pseudopetiolate, triangular. Nodes on 1/2 stem with a larger central bud and 2-numerous subjacent, smaller, subequal, independent, constellate, linear or whorled subsidiary buds, all buds 2 or rarely 3 sizes, this polymorphism persisting through growth. branch development. Inflorescence usually a panicle, rarely a pauciflorous raceme. Spikelets terete, or laterally or dorsally compressed; glumes 2; sterile lemmas 2; bisexual floret 1; disarticulation above glumes and below sterile lemmas; rachilla not prolonged beyond palea; lodicules 3; stamens 3, the filaments filiform, free, the anthers linear; ovaries glabrous; stigmas 2. Fruit a caryopsis.

Taxonomy

The genus was described by Carl Sigismund Kunth and published in Journal de Physique, de Chimie, d'Histoire Naturelle et des Arts 95: 151. 1822. The type species is: Chusquea scandens Kunth.

Etymology

The word chusque comes from the Muisca chusquy, which according to a colonial manuscript from the National Library of Colombia, means "Ordinary cane of the earth". Apparently the scientific name it was assigned by José Celestino Mutis during the Botanical Expedition.

Cytology

The basic chromosome number of the genus is x = 12, with somatic chromosome numbers of 2n = 40, 44 and 48, since there are diploid species and a polyploid series.

Species

• Chusquea abietifolia Griseb.
• Chusquea anclytroides Rupr.
• Chusquea bahiana L. G. Clark
• Chusquea bilimekii E. Fourn.
• Chusquea layerraoensis L. G. Clark
• Chusquea carinata E. Fourn.
• Chusquea circinata Soderstr. et C. E. Calderon
• Chusquea culeou
• Chusquea cumingii Nees
• Chusquea deficiens
• Chusquea delicatula Hitchc.
• Chusquea egluma
• Chusquea erecta L. G. Clark
• Chusquea exasperata L. G. Clark
• Chusquea floribunda
• Chusquea glauca L. G. Clark
• Chusquea juergensii
• Chusquea longifolia Swallen
• Chusquea longipendula Kuntze
• Chusquea lorentziana
• Chusquea maclurei L. G. Clark
• Chusquea maculata L. G. Clark
• Chusquea meyeriana Rupr.
• Chusquea montana
• Chusquea mulleri Munro
• Chusquea patens L. G. Clark
• Chusquea perotensis L. G. Clark, Cortes " Cházaro
• Chusquea pohlii L. G. Clark
• Chusquea quila Kunt.
• Chusquea ramosissima Kunt. tacuarembó
• Chusquea sneidernii Aspl.
• Chusquea spencei Ernst
• Chusquea subulata L. G. Clark
• Chusquea talamancensis Y. Widmer et L. G. Clark
• Chusquea tenella
• Chusquea tomentosa Y. Widmer et L. G. Clark
• Chusquea valdiviensis