Schizostachyum hainanense Merr. ex McClure

The culms are split for weaving baskets, mats, etc.

Culms ascending, 8–30 m long, 2–3(–5) cm in diam., apically long pendulous or clambering; internodes to 75 cm or longer, smooth and glabrous near base, other portions white powdery and appressed stiffly hairy; wall 1.5–2 mm thick. Branches 40–80 cm. Culm sheaths deciduous, asymmetrical, pruinose, with appressed, stiff, brown hairs, base of outer margin usually with a conspicuous, subcircular projection below point of attachment, both sides of apex rounded and extending upward but unequal, yellow-brown; auricles absent; oral setae well developed, to 2.4 cm; ligule 1.5–2 mm, margin with fimbriae 8–12 mm; blade reflexed, more than 1/2 length of sheath proper. Leaves 5–10 per ultimate branch; sheaths 4–9 cm; auricles usually inconspicuous; oral setae numerous, pale, 6–18 mm; ligule ca. 1 mm; blade oblong-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 6–27 × 0.6–3.7 cm. Pseudospikelets fusiform, 1.2–1.5 cm; prophylls ovate-lanceolate, ca. 2.5 mm; bracts 3 or 4, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, margin ciliate or glabrous, apex obtuse to acute or mucronate. Glumes absent; lemma ovate-lanceolate, ca. 1.3 cm, margin with or without cilia, involute, many veined, apex acuminate, mucronate; palea to 1.4 cm, markedly involute, papery, lower portion pellucid, apex mucronate; lodicules absent. Filaments white, ca. 1.4 cm, basally connate in pairs; anthers yellow-brown, ca. 6 mm. Ovary ovoid, glabrous, stalked; stigmas 3, purple, 1–1.5 mm. Fruit unknown.

Primary tropical forests. Hainan [Vietnam].