Sokinochloa, a new bamboo genus (Poaceae-Bambusoideae) from Madagascar

Sokinochloa, from Madagascar, is described as a new genus. It is characterised by the climbing habit and the determinate, capitulate inflorescence with the presence of subtending bracts; the internodes of the inflorescence are extremely short and there are three or more branches at each node borne at the same level, bearing sterile and fertile spikelets; the fertile spikelet consists of five glumes and one floret. Superficially the capitulate inflorescence resembles that of tropical and subtropical Asian Cephalostachyum Munro (Melocanninae Benth.), which has indeterminate inflorescences. Sokinochloa is included in the subtribe Hickeliinae A. Camus. There are seven species, four of them new, S. australis, S. bosseri, S. brachyclada and S. chiataniae, and three new combinations, S. viguieri (A. Camus) S. Dransf., S. perrieri (A. Camus) S. Dransf. and S. chapelieri (Munro) S. Dransf.