Vietnamosasa pusilla

Vietnamosasa pusilla (A. Chev. & A. Camus) T. Q. Nguyen, Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 75 (2), 1990: 222.

    • Synonyms: Arundinaria pusilla A. Chev. & A. Camus, Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. 27, 1921: 450; Chimonobambusa pusilla (A. Chev. & A. Camus) Nakai, J. Arnold Arbor. 6, 1925: 151, "pumila"; Neomicrocalamus pusillus (A. Chev. & A. Camus) Demoly, Bambou 21, 1995: 14.

    • Type: Vietnam, Annam, A. Chevalier 40600 (lectotype); cf. T. Haevermans & al., Phytotaxa 137(1): 59, 2013 [#1365].

    • Thai names: เพ็ก (phek); เพ็ด (phet). — T. Smitinand, 2001 [#1003].

    • Distribution: THAILAND (North-East), forming extensive undergrowth in deciduous forest and thickets in scrubland, adapted to dry climate and annual burning. CAMBODIA. — LAOS. — VIETNAM.

    • Culm size: 0.5–1.5 (3) m height, 0.3–0.8 (1.0) cm diameter.

    • Description: "… Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph; scaly. Culms 50–150 cm long; 3–8 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen, or solid; light green; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Culm-sheaths 3–5 cm long. Culm-sheath blade triangular; deciduous; erect; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.07 cm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 8–14 cm long; 8–10 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; light green. Leaf-blade venation with 6–8 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate … [flowers and seeds described]". — Kew GrassBase [#1335].

    • Images: Photos in BambooWeb.info [#1340]; photo in K. M. Wong, Bamboo - The Amazing Grass, 2004: fig. 11 (habitat) [#1048].

    • Flowering and seeding: Flowering in Thailand recorded by Mu Chakkrapong, on Facebook, 4 Oct. 2017.


Vietnamosasa pusilla cl. striped leaves

    • Specimen: BS-0113 [-] (living plant), Phetchaburi, wild, western Thailand, precise locality not recorded, cultivated at Doi Saket, ศ. ส., received Aug. 2013.

    • Characteristics: Foliage-leaf blades with white stripes of different widths.

    • Uses: Plants used as ornamental ground cover plants.