Agnesia

Agnesia is a genus of herbaceous South American bamboo in the grass family.

It is named in honor of agrostologist (botanical specialist in the area of grasses) Mary Agnes Chase (1869-1963).

The only known species is Agnesia lancifolia, native to lowland tropical rainforests of Brazil, Colombia and Peru.

Agnesia lancifolia is perennial herb with 7-10 stems per clump, each up to 50 cm tall. Lower leaves lacking blades or with blades less than 5 mm long; upper leaves with blades up to 16 cm long. Each stem has 1-6 racemes at the tips of the culm or from the axils of the upper leaves, pistillate (female) and staminate (male) flowers in different spikelets on the same plant.