Ampelocalamus scandens

Specimen: BS-0517 [-] (living plant), from Kimmei, Netherlands, 27 Aug. 2010.

Characteristics: Habit tight caespitose, clambering (into nearby vegetation), drooping or scandent above, procumbent if culms are unsupported. Rhizome pachymorph, short. Culms bending, scandent, to about 5 m long. Young shoots [not yet observed in detail]. Culm-internodes terete, finely longitudinally ridged, 27–37 cm long, glabrous, mid-green to bluish green, initially slightly farinose, not glossy, mid-brownish when old; diameter 0.7 cm, splitting easily, walls thin. Culm-nodes glabrous, smooth, prominent; nodal line horizontal; sheath scar with a persistent 1–1.5 mm protruding corky collar; supranodal line clearly discernible, somewhat oblique, slightly ridged, 5–8 mm above the nodal line; the first 1–3 basal nodes without buds; aerial roots none. Branch-buds solitary, large, as wide as the culm diameter, subrotund or ovate, and centrally upright pointed. Branches few to several (about 10), slender, subequal, geniculate, about 0.5–1.5 m long, initially 3 branches developing, the central one slightly dominant; branching from the lower culm up, unbranched on the basal culm; branching usually intravaginal, but extravaginal (or infravaginal?) branching can occur; rebranching (but a 4th order axis not developed). Culm-leaves deciduous. Culm-leaf sheaths narrowly triangular, shorter than the internode, thinly papery, mid-green when young, light straw-colored and glabrous when dry, not farinose, sparsely soft pale hairy when young; apex horizontally truncate; upper margins long pale ciliate when young. Culm-leaf auricles none or inconspicuous low rims, glabrous, entire. Culm-leaf ligule rather high, pale purplish when young, long fringed, the fringes extending into pale bristles. Culm-leaf blades papery, early deciduous, reflexed, narrowly long-lanceolate. Foliage-leaves (5) 13 (16) per branchlet. Foliage-leaf sheaths rounded, light green to mid-green when young, initially pale hirsute, soon becoming glabrous; apex truncate; margins initially pale ciliolate, soon becoming entire. Foliage-leaf auricles small, glabrous, projecting, purplish when young, with pale to purplish horizontally directed, straight radiate bristles 7–15 mm long. Foliage-leaf ligule conspicuously high, about 5 mm, purplish when young, with straight pale ciliae 4 mm long; outer ligule a low entire rim. Foliage-leaf blades soft, lanceolate, rather variable in size, (10) 13–18 (24) × (1.1) 1.4–3.5 (4.5) cm; mid-green to dark green, glabrous above, pubescent beneath; base rounded to wedge-shaped; apex attenuate; margins antrorsely scabrous; midrib proximally distinct, yellowish green beneath; pseudopetiole long, 3–8 mm. Flowers and seeds are unknown.

Uses: Plants as garden ornamentals.

Cultivation requirements: Grows in part shade to full sun, sandy loam to clay loam, normal moisture-retentive to moist soil with good drainage. Tolerates heat and humidity.