Dendrocalamus wazibii C. M. Hui & J. W. Li sp. nov.

Figs 1, 2, 3

Diagnosis.

Dendrocalamus wazibii is similar to D. peculiaris and D. tomentosus, but can be easily distinguished from them by having culm leaf ligule 15 mm long (vs. 5–7 mm in D. tomentosus and 6–10 mm in D. peculiaris), linear culm leaf auricles (vs. absent in D. tomentosus and D. peculiaris), lemma 5–7 mm × 4–5 mm (vs. 4–5 mm × 4–6 mm in D. tomentosus; vs. 7–11 mm × 7–8 mm in D. peculiaris), anthers 2–2.5 mm long (vs. 2.5–3 mm in D. tomentosus; vs. 3–3.5 mm in D. peculiaris) and stamens 5 mm long (vs. 6 mm in D. tomentosus; vs. 10 mm in D. peculiaris) (See Table 1 for details).

Type.

China • Yunnan: Lincang City, Cangyuan County, Menglai Township, Papeng Village, 23°11'54.31"N, 99°14'50.58"E, 1376 m alt., 24 September 2024, C. M. Hui, J. W. Li, H. F. Bao & C. H. Zhang 0072409 (Holotype & Isotype: SWFC!).

Description.

Rhizomes pachymorph. Culms erect, apex slightly nodding, 13–20 m tall, 7–12 cm diameter; internodes 30–40 cm long, initially densely white to pale brown tomentum; branching initiated from the 2 nd or 3 rd basal node, multiple branches per node with one dominant branch; basal nodes with aerial roots; intranode ca. 1 cm tall, with a ring of white tomentum; sheath scar prominent, with a ring of brown hair below. Culm sheaths coriaceous, deciduous; sheath blade 24–30 cm × 32–40 cm, 1 / 2–2 / 3 as long as internode length, margins ciliate; auricles small, linear with oral setae, deciduous; ligule arched, 15 mm tall, margins deeply lobed with brown oral setae 0.3–0.5 cm long (longer laterally, up to 1.5 cm); blades triangular, 8 cm tall, reflexed, ca. 1 / 3 as long as sheath proper, adaxial base covered with dark brown bristles. Ultimate branchlets with 6–8 foliage leaves. Leaf blades oblong-lanceolate, 12–25 cm × 2–4 cm, finely pubescent, secondary veins 6–9 pairs; margins finely serrulate; petioles 3–5 mm, sparsely pubescent; sheaths 5.5–8 cm, margins ciliate; auricles absent; ligule arcuate, ca. 1 mm tall, margins finely serrulate, occasionally oral setae. Flowering branches pendulous, leafless with 2–30 clusters pseudo-spikelets at each node; inflorescence clusters 1.2–2 cm in diameter; pseudo-spikelets broadly ovate, 8–12 × 5–7 mm, dark purple, with 5–6 florets. Glumes 2, ca. 3.5 mm long, ca. 2.5 mm width, margins ciliate; lemmas ovate, 5–7 × 4–5 mm, pubescent, many-veined, apex mucronate, margins ciliate; palea oblanceolate, ca. 4 × 2.2 mm, 2 - keeled, keels 1 mm apart, margins and keels long ciliate; lodicules absent; stamens 6, ca. 4 mm long, anthers yellow, 2–2.5 mm long, anthers exserted when mature, apex acute, with several white hairs; filaments free, ca. 2 mm long; pistil ca. 5 mm long, hairy; ovary ovoid; stigma 1, purple, plumose. Fruit unknown.

Phenology.

Shooting from August to October and flowering from November to May of the next year.

Distribution and habitat.

Dendrocalamus wazibii is endemic to Yunnan, China and is currently found only near villages at an elevation of 1,376 m in Cangyuan County.

Local uses.

The local Lahu people use its bamboo shoots for making sour bamboo shoots, while the bamboo culms are used for weaving.

Etymology.

The specific epithet “ wazibii ” is used in apposition to the Lahu language term “wa zi bi” that means the bamboo culms prized for their relatively high flexibility and common use in weaving.

Chinese name.

Huī Bái Lóng Zhú (Chinese pronunciation); 灰白龙竹 (Chinese name).

Conservation status.

Although we conducted three field surveys, due to the limited scope of the investigation and the presence of numerous similar habitats (e. g. vegetation type, soil, elevation etc.) near the type locality, we currently classify the new species as Data Deficient (DD), according to the IUCN (2024) criteria.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes).

China • Yunnan: Lincang City, Cangyuan County, Menglai Township, Papeng Village, 23°11'54.31"N, 99°14'50.58"E, 1376 m alt., 24 September 2024, C. M. Hui, J. W. Li, H. F. Bao & C. H. Zhang 0072408 (SWFC!).