Schizostachyum latifolium

Synonyms: Ochlandra ridleyi Gamble, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. (Calcutta) 7, 1896: 127; Schizostachyum ridleyi (Gamble) Holttum, Gard. Bull. Singapore 11, 1947: 296.

Misapplied name: Schizo­stachyum longispiculatum (non Kurz).

Thai name: No known records.

Distribution: THAILAND (South): Records are not known. The species occurs in all Malaysian states adjacent to Thailand (Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Kelantan), so it is likely to occur also in southern Thailand. — MALAYSIA (Peninsular), widespread but scattered, distributed throughout the Peninsula, along forest-river boundaries and forest edges in the lowlands, and on wasteland, up to 1,000 m altitude. — INDONESIA: Sumatra, Kalimantan. — SINGAPORE: presumably extinct.

Culm size: Height 3–5 m, diameter 1.5–2.5 cm.

Descriptions:

(1) "Culm sheaths green becoming pale orange-brown, covered with pale brown appressed hairs; blade lanceolate, usually spreading to reflexed, sometimes at first erect; auricles low elongate to rounded lobes 2–6 mm high, extended beyond the sheath edge, with sinuous or wavy bristles 3–11(–15) mm long; ligule 0.5–1 mm high, subentire, non-bristly. Culms to 3–5 m tall, commonly 1.5–2 cm diameter, somewhat erect with slender drooping tips; internodes 30–55 cm long, dark green. Branch complement typically a cluster of slender subequal branches, none dominant, these rebranching further. Leaf: blades 10–26 cm long, 2–4.5 cm wide, scattered pale short-hairy below; stalk 4–7 mm long; auricles small lobes 0.5–1 mm high, sometimes conspicuously extended beyond the sheath edge, bearing bristles 2–4 mm long; ligule a subentire rim 0.5–1 mm high, not bristly … [flowers described]." — K. M. Wong, Bamboos of Peninsular Malaysia, 1995: p. 174-176, fig. 101-102 [#1210].

(2) "Open tufted, sympodial bamboo. Culm erect with long arching tips, 3–6 m tall, 1–2.5 cm in diameter (reduced to 5 mm at the tip), wall 3–4 mm thick, light green, white hairy when young, becoming glabrous and smooth; internodes 35–80 cm long, whitish below the nodes; nodes not swollen. Branches many at each node, all subequal in size. Culm sheath 10–16 cm × 4–5 cm, light green turning yellow-brown when dry, long persistent, covered with appressed light brown hairs; blade 8–15 cm long, 14–17 mm wide near the base but only 5–10 mm wide at the junction with the sheath, tapering to the tip with rolled edges, erect first, later deflexed, glabrous but hairy adaxially near the base; ligule very short, entire; auricles prominent, 5–15 mm × 3–6 mm, extending laterally as narrow free lobes 5 mm beyond the base of attachment, with bristles 5–10 mm long along the edge. Young shoots light green. Leaf blade 12–30 cm × 2.5–5.5 cm, base usually rounded, glabrous, pale to light green; sheath glabrous; ligule very short, entire, bearing long bristles; auricles prominent, 4–5 mm long with bristles up to 12 mm long …" — S. Dransfield in S. Dransfield & E. A. Widjaja (eds.), Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 7, Bamboos, 1995: p. 137-138, fig. [#1226].

(3) "… Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; drooping at the tip; 300–500 cm long; 15–25 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; thin-walled; 35–55 cm long; distally pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Culm-sheaths 12–14 cm long; green, or brown; pubescent; with appressed hairs; with white hairs; auriculate; with 3–5 mm high auricles; setose on shoulders; shoulders with 5–10 mm long hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 1–1.5 mm high; ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade linear, or lanceolate; spreading, or reflexed; 6–9 cm long; 12–17 mm wide. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 4–7 mm long. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.4–0.8 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 25–40 cm long; 30–70 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy abaxially. …" — Kew GrassBase [#1335].

(4) K. K. Seethalakshmi & al., Bamboos of India, 1998: p. 249 [#1062].

(5) J. S. Gamble, Bambuseae Brit. India, 1896: p. 117 [#1230].

(6) J. F. Veldkamp & al., Poaceae (Gramineae), in: Flora of Singapore, Vol. 7, 2019: p. 250 [#1283].

Images: Line drawing in S. Dransfield, l.c., 1995 [#1226]; J. S. Gamble, l.c., 1896: pl. 103 [#1230]; K. K. Seethalakshmi & al., Bamboos of India, 1998: fig. 86, p. 250 [#1062]. Photo in K. M. Wong, Bamboo - The Amazing Grass, 2004: fig. 57 (culm sheath) [#1048]; photo of the type specimen at Kew Herbarium (leafy and flowering branch) [#1333].

Uses: In Malaysia, culms are used for basketry and other woven commodities, blowpipes, and tobacco containers.

Comments: The species should be easily recognizable by its prominent auricles.