Poaceae
Rhipidocladum

Rhipidocladum racemiflorum (Steud.) McClure

First published in Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 9: 106 (1973)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mexico to Suriname and NW. Argentina. It is a bamboo and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome. It is has environmental uses and as a medicine.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean, Caribbean. Elevation range: 150–1750 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bolívar, Caldas, Cauca, Cesar, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Quindío, Risaralda, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.
Habit
Climbing.
Conservation
National Red List of Colombia (2021): Potential LC.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 150 - 1750 m.; Andes, Llanura del Caribe.
Morphology General Habit
Trepadora
Conservation
Preocupación Menor
[CPLC]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms arching, or leaning; 1000-1500 cm long; 5-10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; thin-walled; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many; flabellate. Culm-sheath ligule 0.5 mm high. Culm-sheath blade triangular; erect; 3-4 cm long; acuminate. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; deciduous; 6-8 mm long. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2-0.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.1-0.15 cm long; petiole glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 6-8 cm long; 5-9 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base (where woolly tuft beneath).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 4-6 cm long; bearing 10 fertile spikelets on each. Spikelet packing 2 -rowed. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblanceolate; laterally compressed; 14-18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation 1 mm long.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblanceolate; laterally compressed; 14-18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 2.8-3.9 mm long; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4.4-5.3 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; ovate; 6-6.5 mm long; chartaceous; 5-7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 8-10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5-7 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1-2 mm long overall. Palea bowed outwards; 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 3; membranous. Anthers 3; 5 mm long; yellow. Stigmas 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.
Reference
Bambuseae. Fl Costa Rica 1995.
[GB]

Uses

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible

    • ColPlantA 2021. Published on the Internet at http://colplanta.org
    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • 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

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • 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

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0