A new genus of temperate woody bamboos (Poaceae, Bambusoideae, Arundinarieae) from a limestone montane area of China

Abstract

Ampelocalamus calcareus is a climbing and slender bamboo, known from south Guizhou, China. This species grows in broadleaved forests of limestone montane areas. Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that A. calcareus was sister to all other lineages of the tribe Arundinarieae rather than a member of Ampelocalamus. The morphological features and habitats of A. calcareus and related genera including Ampelocalamus, Drepanostachyum and Himalayacalamus were compared and discussed. The characteristics of the branch complements, nodes and foliage leaves distinguish A. calcareus from morphologically similar taxa. On the basis of molecular and morphological evidence, we propose to establish a new genus, Hsuehochloa, to accommodate A. calcareus and to honour the late Chinese bamboo taxonomist Chi-Ju Hsueh (Ji-Ru Xue). In addition, we describe the inflorescence of Hsuehochloa for the first time.