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— BAMBOOS OF THAILAND — ONLINE VERSION OF 1 JANUARY 2021 — LATEST UPDATE OF 21 SEPTEMBER 2025 —
Lithachne pauciflora (Sw.) P. Beauv. ex Poiret in Levrault, Dict. Sci. Nat. 27, 1823: 60, "Lithacne pauciflore".
Synonyms: Olyra pauciflora Sw.; Stipa pauciflora (Sw.) Raspail; Olyra axillaris Lam.; Lithachne axillaris (Lam.) P. Beauv.
Distribution: THAILAND: introduced, in cultivation, rare. — SOUTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA, MEXICO and the CARIBBEAN ISLANDS; in mountain forests up to 2,000 m altitude.
Culm size: Length ca. 0.75 m, diameter up to 1 mm.
Description: "… Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–75 cm long. Culm-nodes constricted. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base simple and broadly rounded; asymmetrical; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 4–10 cm long; 15–30 mm wide. … [flowers and seeds described]." — Kew GrassBase [#1335].
Images: Photos in Discover Life (leaves); Simon Malcomber's lab (female spikelet).
Uses: Unknown. It is a collector's bamboo for private and botanical gardens in humid tropical and subtropical climates. Well suited as potted plants, suitable also indoors, for terrariums and warm greenhouses.
Cultivation requirements: Grows in shade, in moist but well-drained soil, possibly with a low pH preferred.
Flowering cycle: Continuous flowering occurs annually or nearly so.
Seed production: Frequent.
Seed viability: Viable at a high percentage but of unknown duration, viability is assumed to last at least 2 months.
Comments: The species shows an unusual foliage-leaf shape, and flowers frequently. Male and female flowers separate on the culm.
Specimens: BS-0805 [C4-R02] [S1] [S3] (living plants), raised from seeds in July/August 2014, the seeds collected in Veracruz, Mexico; BS-0805A [C4-R02] [S3] (seeds), collected from living plant BS-0805 at Bambusetum Baan Sammi, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 23 July 2015. The seeds from Veracruz, Mexico, collected by R. M. O. as "Lithachne pauciflora" in 2014, and received on 24 July 2014 (BS-0805). Seeds were collected from cultivated flowering plants at Bambusetum Baan Sammi, for the first time after 1 year, on 23 July 2015 (BS-0805A).
Seed weight: 0.5 g ≈ 14 seeds bare of husks.
Seed germination: A germination rate of up to 75% can be expected (tests 140724 and 140820).
Comments: Plants grow well in the Chiang Mai climate at 300 m altitude, possibly moist, shady, and cool sites will be preferred. Several seedlings started flowering after less than one year, and developed seeds, first in July 2015, then thereafter every year (flowering from about April, seeding about July).
Lithachne pauciflora (BS-0805): Habit
Lithachne pauciflora (BS-0805): Female flower
Lithachne pauciflora (BS-0805): Seeds
Lithachne pauciflora (BS-0805A): Seedling
Lithachne pauciflora (BS-0805): One mother plant with numerous seedlings
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