TABLE 3 in Tallapoosa Cane (Arundinaria alabamensis), a new species of temperate bamboo (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) from East Central Alabama

TABLE 3. Morphological comparisons of Arundinaria alabamensis, A. appalachiana, A. tecta, and A. gigantea.
CharacterA. alabamensisA. appalachianaA. tectaA. giganteaRhizome air canalspresentpresent or absentpresentabsentSulcususually absentusually absentusually absentusually presentCulm leaf durationpersistentpersistentpersistentdeciduousCulm leaf auriclespresent, deciduousabsentpresent, deciduouspresent, deciduousTop knot number of leaves5–7(–9)6–129–126–8Top knot leaf blade length (cm)9–379–22.520–3016–24Compressed basal internodes on primary branch3–52–52–40–11º branch basal nodes: 2º branchespresent, subequalabsentpresent, subequalpresent, subequalPrimary branch length (cm)12–497–33usually>5015–25Foliage leaf blade length (cm)5–305–207–238–15Foliage leaf blade width (cm)0.8–3.40.8–21–20.8–1.3Foliage leaf blade vestituredensely pubescent or glabrouspilose or glabrousdensely pubescent or glabrousdensely pubescent or glabrousFoliage leaf sheath vestituredensely piloseglabrous, pilose, or pubescentglabrous (sometimes densely pubescent, esp. when young)glabrous (sometimes densely pubescent, esp. when young)Foliage leaf durationevergreendeciduousevergreenevergreenFoliage leaf texturechartaceous to subcoriaceouschartaceouscoriaceoussubcoriaceousFoliage leaf abaxial tessellationtessellateweakly tessellatestrongly tessellatestrongly tessellate