Cochinchinochloa braiana H.N.Nguyen & V.T.Tran, 2013

Cochinchinochloa braiana H.N.Nguyen & V.T.Tran View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 1 View Fig , 2 View Fig

Typus. V. T. Tran , T. T. Hoang & H.N. Nguyen 312012 (holo VAFS; iso (VNMN-Vietnam National Museum of Nature )), Vietnam, Lamdong Province , Di Linh District , Braian mountain, Suoi Lanh, elevation 1130 m asl, N11°26'44" E108°04'07", 3 Jan. 2011 GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the type locality,Braian mountain,

Di Linh District, Lamdong Province, Vietnam.

Culms and branches scrambling or hanging over nearby vegetation or trees, 8–15 m tall; internodes 60–80 cm long and 2–3.5 cm diam, when young sparsely covered with appressed white hairs; culm walls 2–3 mm thick; nodes with a thick swollen patella. Branches several with the middle one dominant, elongating. Culm leaves purplish green, when young covered with densely appressed white hairs on the abaxial surface; 20–23 cm long and 9–12 cm wide at the base, 6–8 cm wide at the top, the junction with the blade more or less horizontal, margins bearing dense white-brown hairs; blade tardily deciduous, erect, inflated at the base and base purple-brown, 20– 25 by 12–15 cm, abaxial dense white hairs, margins densely ciliate at the base; auricle triangle shaped, 1.5–2.5 by 0.6–0.8 cm, margins bearing dense purple-brown bristles, c. 0.4 cm long; ligule very short, entire. Leafy branches 40–60 cm, nodes with a thick swollen patella, bearing 5–8 leaves; blades oblong-obovate, base broadly rounded, glabrous, 30–35 by 6.5–7.0 cm, veins in 10–12 pairs; sheaths bearing auricles c. 0.2 by c. 0.1 cm with dense bristles 4–6 mm long; inner ligule a low rim, c. 1 mm; pseudopetiole c. 0.2 by c. 0.2 mm. Inflorescences terminating leafy branches, indeterminate; pseudospikelets typically 2–3 cm when young and 4 – 5 cm at maturity, each subtended by a prophyllate bud and consisting of 1–3 transitional glumes, having two perfect florets and a vestigial terminal flower. Rachilla internode below the lower fertile floret does not elongate at maturity, c. 0.2 cm; rachilla internode between perfect floret elongate, c. 0.8 cm; and a rachilla extension bearing an imperfect floret at maturity, c. 1 cm. Perfect florets consisting of lemma and palea; lemmas oblong-lanceolate, 1.1–1.3 by 0.3–0.4 cm, veins 9–11, apex acute, mucro 1–2 mm long, shorter than the palea, margins bearing dense white cilia at the apex; palea 2-keeled with a narrow groove on the back, 1.6–1.8 by 4–4.5 mm, the apex acuminate, mucro 1– 2 mm long, margins bearing dense white cilia at the top; lodicules 3, obovate, 1.7–2 by c. 1 mm, margins ciliate; stamens 6, filaments free, 4–5 by 0.4–0.5 mm, apiculate with short tips; ovary glabrous with a long style and stigmas 3; caryopsis green when fresh, oblique, with a relatively thin pericarp, 1.2–1.5 cm long, protruding from the palea.

Distribution & Habitat — This bamboo grows in the degraded natural forest in valleys, but is also common along rivers or valleys, between 1000 and 1200 m asl, southern Vietnam.

Phenology — The plants were flowering between September and February. New shoots developed in June–August.

Local uses — This species is of considerable importance to the local people. Its culms are used for making handicrafts and household tools.