Bamboos are a diverse group of
evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
flowering plants making up the
subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
Bambusoideae of the grass family
Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...
.
Giant bamboo Giant bamboo is a common name for several large species of bamboo and may refer to:
* Large species in the genus ''Bambusa'' include:
** "Giant timber bamboo" (''Bambusa oldhamii''), a large (to 20 m) bamboo species originating from Taiwan
** ''Bamb ...
s are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, but it probably comes from the
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
or
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
language, which originally borrowed it from
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
or
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
.
In bamboo, as in other grasses, the internodal regions of the
stem
Stem or STEM may refer to:
Plant structures
* Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang
* Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure
* Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
are usually hollow and the
vascular bundle
A vascular bundle is a part of the transport system in vascular plants. The transport itself happens in the stem, which exists in two forms: xylem and phloem. Both these tissues are present in a vascular bundle, which in addition will inclu ...
s in the cross-section are scattered throughout the stem instead of in a cylindrical arrangement. The
dicotyledon
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, t ...
ous
woody xylem
Xylem is one of the two types of transport tissue in vascular plants, the other being phloem. The basic function of xylem is to transport water from roots to stems and leaves, but it also transports nutrients. The word ''xylem'' is derived from ...
is also absent. The absence of
secondary growth
In botany, secondary growth is the growth that results from cell division in the cambia or lateral meristems and that causes the stems and roots to thicken, while primary growth is growth that occurs as a result of cell division at the tips of ...
wood causes the stems of
monocots
Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, (Lilianae ''sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. They constitute one of t ...
, including the
palms and large bamboos, to be columnar rather than tapering.
Bamboos include some of the fastest-growing plants in the world,
due to a unique
rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
-dependent system. Certain species of bamboo can grow within a 24-hour period, at a rate of almost an hour (equivalent to 1 mm every 90 seconds).
This rapid growth and tolerance for
marginal land
Marginal land is land that is of little agricultural or developmental value because crops produced from the area would be worth less than any rent paid for access to the area. Although the term ''marginal'' is often used in a subjective sense for l ...
, make bamboo a good candidate for
afforestation
Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees (forestation) in an area where there was no previous tree cover. Many government and non-governmental organizations directly engage in afforestation programs to create forests a ...
,
carbon sequestration
Carbon sequestration is the process of storing carbon in a carbon pool. Carbon dioxide () is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes. These changes can be accelerated through changes in land ...
and
climate change mitigation
Climate change mitigation is action to limit climate change by reducing Greenhouse gas emissions, emissions of greenhouse gases or Carbon sink, removing those gases from the atmosphere. The recent rise in global average temperature is mostly caus ...
.
Bamboo is versatile and has notable economic and cultural significance in
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
,
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
,
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, and
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
, being used for
building material
Building material is material used for construction. Many naturally occurring substances, such as clay, rock (geology), rocks, sand, wood, and even twigs and leaves, have been used to construct buildings. Apart from naturally occurring materia ...
s, as a
food source
Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is inge ...
, and as a raw product, and depicted often in arts, such as in
bamboo painting
Works of bamboo painting, usually in ink, are a recognized genre of East Asian painting. In a work of bamboo painting in ink, a skilled artist and calligrapher will paint a bamboo stalk or group of stalks with leaves. The contrast between the for ...
s and
bambooworking Bambooworking is the activity or skill of making items from bamboo, and includes architecture, carpentry, furniture and cabinetry, carving, joinery, and weaving. Its historical roots in Asia span cultures, civilizations, and millennia, and is foun ...
. Bamboo, like
wood
Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...
, is a natural
composite material
A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or ...
with a high strength-to-weight ratio useful for structures.
Bamboo's strength-to-weight ratio is similar to
timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
, and its strength is generally similar to a strong
softwood
file:Pinus sylvestris wood ray section 1 beentree.jpg, Scots Pine, a typical and well-known softwood
Softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees such as conifers. The term is opposed to hardwood, which is the wood from angiosperm trees. The main diff ...
or
hardwood
Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...
timber.
Taxonomy
Bamboos have long been considered the most primitive grasses, mostly because of the presence of
bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
eate, indeterminate inflorescences, "pseudospikelets", and flowers with three
lodicule
A spikelet, in botany, describes the typical arrangement of the flowers of grasses, sedges and some other Monocots.
Each spikelet has one or more florets. The spikelets are further grouped into panicles or spikes. The part of the spikelet that ...
s, six
stamens
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
, and three
stigmata
Stigmata ( grc, στίγματα, plural of , 'mark, spot, brand'), in Roman Catholicism, are bodily wounds, scars and pain which appear in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ: the hands, wrists, and feet.
Stigm ...
.
Following more recent
molecular phylogenetic
Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...
research, many
tribes
The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to conflic ...
and genera of grasses formerly included in the Bambusoideae are now classified in other subfamilies, e.g. the
Anomochlooideae
Anomochlooideae is a subfamily of the true grass family Poaceae. It is sister to all the other grasses. It includes perennial herbs that grow on the shaded floor of forests in the Neotropics
The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeogr ...
, the
Puelioideae
The Puelioideae is a subfamily of the true grass family Poaceae with two genera, ''Guaduella'' and ''Puelia'', each in its own tribe. Its members grow in the understory of rainforests.
This subfamily is one of the earliest-diverging grass linea ...
, and the
Ehrhartoideae
Oryzoideae ( syn. Ehrhartoideae) is a subfamily of the true grass family Poaceae. It has around 120 species in 19 genera, notably including the major cereal crop rice. Within the grasses, this subfamily is one of three belonging to the species-ri ...
. The subfamily in its current sense belongs to the
BOP clade
The BOP clade (sometimes ''BEP clade'') is one of two major lineages (or clades) of undefined taxonomic rank in the grasses (Poaceae), containing more than 5,400 species, about half of all grasses. Its sister group is the PACMAD clade; contrary ...
of grasses, where it is sister to the
Pooideae
The Pooideae are the largest subfamily of the grass family Poaceae, with about 4,000 species in 15 tribes and roughly 200 genera. They include some major cereals such as wheat, barley, oat, rye and many lawn and pasture grasses. They are often r ...
(bluegrasses and relatives).
The bamboos comprise three clades classified as tribes, and these strongly correspond with geographic divisions representing the New World herbaceous species (
Olyreae
Olyreae is a tribe of grasses in the bamboo subfamily (Bambusoideae). Unlike the other two bamboo tribes, Olyreae are herbaceous and do not have a woody stem. Their sister group are the tropical woody bamboos (Bambuseae).
Olyreae grow in the und ...
), tropical woody bamboos (
Bambuseae), and temperate woody bamboos (
Arundinarieae). The woody bamboos do not form a
monophyletic group
A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...
; instead, the tropical woody and herbaceous bamboos are sister to the temperate woody bamboos.
Altogether, more than 1,400 species are placed in 115 genera.
21 genera:
*Subtribe
Buergersiochloinae
''Buergersiochloa'' is a genus of New Guinean in the grass family.
The only known species is ''Buergersiochloa bambusoides.''
See also
*List of Poaceae genera
The true grasses (Poaceae) are one of the largest plant families, with around 12, ...
*:one genus: ''
Buergersiochloa
''Buergersiochloa'' is a genus of New Guinean in the grass family.
The only known species is ''Buergersiochloa bambusoides.''
See also
*List of Poaceae genera
The true grasses (Poaceae) are one of the largest plant families, with around 12, ...
''.
*Subtribe
Olyrineae
*:17 genera: ''
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'', ...
'', ''
Arberella
''Arberella'' is a genus of Neotropical bamboo in the grass family.
;Species
# '' Arberella bahiensis'' - Venezuela ( Amazonas), Brazil (Bahia)
# '' Arberella costaricensis'' - Costa Rica
# '' Arberella dressleri'' - Panama
# '' Arberella flacci ...
'', ''
Cryptochloa
''Cryptochloa'' is a genus of Neotropical plants in the grass family, widespread across much of Mexico, Central America, and South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hem ...
'', ''
Diandrolyra
''Diandrolyra'' is a genus of Brazilian plants in the grass family.
;Species
# '' Diandrolyra bicolor'' Stapf - Espírito Santo
# '' Diandrolyra pygmaea'' Soderstr. & Zuloaga ex R.P.Oliveira & L.G.Clark - Bahia
# '' Diandrolyra tatianae'' Soders ...
'', ''
Ekmanochloa
''Ekmanochloa'' is a genus of plants in the grass family endemic to Cuba.
Description
Its habit is a perennial grass. Culms are erect; 38–63.25–100 cm long. Culm-nodes are constricted or swollen. Leaves are differentiated into sheath ...
'', ''
Froesiochloa
''Froesiochloa'' is a genus of South American plants in the grass family. The only known species is ''Froesiochloa boutelouoides'', native to Guyana, French Guiana, and Brazil (Amapá, Pará).Judziewicz, E. J. 1990. Family 187. Poaceae (Gramine ...
'', ''
Lithachne
''Lithachne'' is a genus of Neotropical plants in the grass family.
;Species
# ''Lithachne horizontalis'' Chase - Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Mato Grosso
# ''Lithachne humilis'' Soderstr. - Honduras
# ''Lithachne pauciflora'' (Sw. ...
'', ''
Maclurolyra
''Maclurolyra'' is a genus of Neotropical plants in the grass family. The only known species is ''Maclurolyra tecta'', native to Panamá and Colombia. The genus is named in honor of Floyd Alonzo McClure
Floyd Alonzo McClure (14 August 1897, S ...
'', ''
Mniochloa
''Mniochloa'' is a genus of Cuban plants in the grass family. The only known species is ''Mniochloa pulchella'', native to eastern Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country ...
'', ''
Olyra'', ''
Parodiolyra
''Parodiolyra'' is a genus of Neotropical plants in the Poaceae, grass family.
;Species
# ''Parodiolyra aratitiyopensis'' J.R.Grande - Venezuela (Amazonas, Venezuela, Amazonas)
# ''Parodiolyra colombiensis'' Davidse & Zuloaga - Colombia (Caquet ...
'', ''
Piresiella
''Piresiella'' is a genus of Cuban bamboo in the grass family.Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192. The only known species is ''Piresiella streph ...
'', ''
Raddia
''Raddia'' is a genus of South American plants in the Poaceae, grass family, most of the species found only in Brazil.
The genus was named for Italian botanist and herpetologist Giuseppe Raddi, 1770–1829.
;SpeciesHokche, O., P. E. Berry & O. ...
'', ''
Raddiella
''Raddiella'' is a genus of Neotropical plants in the grass family native to South America, Panama and Trinidad.
;Species
# '' Raddiella esenbeckii'' (Steud.) C.E.Calderón ex Soderstr. - Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, Suri ...
'', ''
Rehia
''Rehia'' is a genus of plants in the grass family. The only known species is ''Rehia nervata'', native to Brazil ( Amapá, Pará, Maranhão) and to the Guianas ( Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana
French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guy ...
'', ''
Reitzia
''Reitzia'' is a genus of plants in the grass family.
The only known species is ''Reitzia smithii'', native to southeastern Brazil ( Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply ...
'' (syn. ''
Piresia
''Piresia'' is a genus of South American plants in the grass family.
;Species
# '' Piresia goeldii'' Swallen - French Guiana, Suriname, Venezuela ( Amazonas), Colombia ( Amazonas), Ecuador, Peru ( Loreto), Brazil (Pará, Amazonas, Rondônia)
# ...
''), ''
Sucrea
''Sucrea'' is a genus of Brazilian plants in the Poaceae, grass family.
;Species
# ''Sucrea maculata'' Soderstr. - Rio de Janeiro (state), Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo
# ''Sucrea monophylla'' Soderstr. - Bahia
# †''Sucrea sampaiana'' (Hitch ...
''.
*Subtribe
Parianinae
*:three genera: ''
Eremitis
''Eremitis'' is a genus of bamboo plants in the grass family, that is endemic to Brazil.
The only known species is ''Eremitis parviflora'', native to the States of Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, and Espirito Santo in eastern Brazil
Br ...
'', ''
Pariana
''Pariana'' is a genus of tropical American plants in the grass family
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bambo ...
'', ''
Parianella
''Parianella'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, ...
''.
73 genera:
* Subtribe
Arthrostylidiinae
The Arthrostylidiinae is a subtribe of bamboo (tribe Bambuseae of the family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purp ...
:
*:15 genera: ''
Actinocladum
''Actinocladum'' is a South American genus of bamboo in the grass family.
;Species
The only known species is ''Actinocladum verticillatum.'' The species is widespread across Bolivia and much of Brazil.Renvoize, S. A. 1998. Gramíneas de Boliv ...
'', ''
Alvimia
''Alvimia'' is a Brazilian genus of bamboo in the Poaceae, grass family. It is native to the eastern coastal regions of the State of Bahia in eastern Brazil.
;Species
# ''Alvimia auriculata'' Soderstr. & Londoño
# ''Alvimia gracilis'' Soderst ...
'', ''
Arthrostylidium'', ''
Athroostachys
''Athroostachys'' is a Brazilian genus of bamboo in the grass family.
The only known species is ''Athroostachys capitata,'' native to Brazil (States of Bahia, Mato Grosso, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro).
See also
* List of Poaceae genera
The tr ...
'', ''
Atractantha
''Atractantha'' is a South American genus of bamboo in the grass family, native to Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela.
;Species
# '' Atractantha amazonica'' Judz. & L.G.Clark - Amazonas in Brazil, Amazonas in Venezuela, Vaupés in Colombia
# '' ...
'', ''
Aulonemia
''Aulonemia'' is a genus of Latin American bamboo in the grass family.
;Species
;Formerly included
see ''Colanthelia Olmeca''
* ''Aulonemia cingulata - Colanthelia cingulata''
* ''Aulonemia clarkiae - Olmeca clarkiae''
* ''Aulonemia fulgor ...
'', ''
Cambajuva
''Cambajuva'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, ...
'', ''
Colanthelia
''Colanthelia'' is a genus of South American bamboo in the grass family, native to southern Brazil and northeastern Argentina.
;SpeciesSmith, L.B., D. C. Wasshausen & R.M. Klein. 1981. Gramíneas. Gêneros: 1. Bambusa até 44. Chloris. 1(GRAM): ...
'', ''
Didymogonyx
''Didymogonyx'' is a genus of South American bamboo in the grass family.
;Species
# '' Didymogonyx geminatum'' (McClure) C.D.Tyrrell, L.G.Clark & Londoño - Colombia, Venezuela
# '' Didymogonyx longispiculatum'' (Londoño & L.G.Clark) C.D.Tyrrel ...
'', ''
Elytrostachys
''Elytrostachys'' is a genus of bamboo (tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae), found in the rainforests from Honduras to Venezuela.
;Species
# '' Elytrostachys clavigera'' McClure - Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá, Colombia
# ''Elytro ...
'', ''
Filgueirasia
''Filgueirasia'' is a genus of Brazilian bamboo in the grass family.
Members of the genus were originally published as species of ''Apoclada'' and were classified in that genus for many years.McClure, F. 1973. Genera of Bamboos Native to the Ne ...
'', ''
Glaziophyton
''Glaziophyton'' is a Brazilian genus of bamboo in the Poaceae, grass family.
Species
The only known species is ''Glaziophyton mirabile,'' native to the State of Rio de Janeiro (state), Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil.
References
...
'', ''
Merostachys
''Merostachys'' is a Neotropical genus of bamboo in the grass family. It is found in South America and Central America from Belize to Paraguay.
;Species
;Formerly included
see ''Athroostachys Rhipidocladum''
* ''Merostachys capitata - Athroos ...
'', ''
Myriocladus
''Myriocladus'' is a South American genus of bamboo in the grass family. It is found in the sandstone tablelands of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and northern Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Por ...
'', ''
Rhipidocladum
''Rhipidocladum'' is a genus of New World woody bamboo in the grass family). It found in Mesoamerica, Trinidad, and South America. The genus is characterized by 1) erect, non-pseudopetiolate culm leaves, 2) numerous branchlets arising in an aspi ...
''.
* Subtribe
Bambusinae
The Bambusinae are a subtribe of bamboo (tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae). It comprises 17 genera.
Genera
*''Bambusa''
*''Bonia''
*'' Cochinchinochloa''
*''Dendrocalamus''
*''Fimbribambusa''
*''Gigantochloa''
*'' Laobambos''
*'' Maclu ...
:
*:17 genera: ''
Bambusa
''Bambusa'' is a large genus of clumping bamboos. Most species of ''Bambusa'' are rather large, with numerous branches emerging from the nodes, and one or two much larger than the rest. The branches can be as long as 11 m (35 ft).
The ...
'', ''
Bonia
''Bonia'' is a genus of Chinese and Vietnamese bamboos in the grass family.
;Species
* ''Bonia amplexicaulis'' (L.C.Chia, H.L.Fung & Y.L.Yang) N.H.Xia – Guangxi
* ''Bonia levigata'' (L.C.Chia, H.L.Fung & Y.L.Yang) N.H.Xia – Hainan
* ''Bonia ...
'', ''
Cochinchinochloa
''Cochinchinochloa'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal g ...
'', ''
Dendrocalamus
''Dendrocalamus'' is a tropical Asian genus of giant clumping bamboos in the grass family. It is found in the Indian subcontinent, China, and Southeast Asia.
'' Dendrocalamus giganteus'' is one of the tallest of bamboos, capable of reaching heig ...
'', ''
Fimbribambusa
''Bambusa'' is a large genus of clumping bamboos. Most species of ''Bambusa'' are rather large, with numerous branches emerging from the nodes, and one or two much larger than the rest. The branches can be as long as 11 m (35 ft).
The ...
'', ''
Gigantochloa
''Gigantochloa'' is a tropical Asian and Papuasian genus of giant clumping bamboos in the grass family. It is found in southern China, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and New Guinea.
;Species
;Formerly included
see ''Bambusa Dendrocal ...
'', ''
Maclurochloa'', ''
Melocalamus
''Melocalamus'' is a genus of Asian bamboos in the grass family. It is found in lowland areas of Southern China, Indochina, and the eastern part of the Indian Subcontinent.
;Species
;Formerly included
see ''Dinochloa
''Dinochloa'' is a gen ...
'', ''
Neomicrocalamus
''Neomicrocalamus'' is an Asian genus of bamboo in the grass family.
Species
The genus contains the following species:
* ''Neomicrocalamus andropogonifolius'' (Griff.) Stapleton – Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh
* ''Neomicrocalamus dongvanensis'' T ...
'', ''
Oreobambos
''Oreobambos buchwaldii'' is the sole representative of ''Oreobambos'', a monotypic African genus of bamboo, most closely related to the large genus ''Bambusa'' from tropical Asia and America. It is large and perennial with arching stems up to 20 ...
'', ''
Oxytenanthera'', ''
Phuphanochloa
''Phuphanochloa'' is a genus of flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, ves ...
'', ''
Pseudoxytenanthera
''Pseudoxytenanthera'' is a genus of Asian bamboo in the grass family native to India, Sri Lanka, and Indochina.
;Species
# '' Pseudoxytenanthera bourdillonii'' (Gamble) H.B.Naithani – India
# '' Pseudoxytenanthera monadelpha'' (Thwaites) So ...
'', ''
Soejatmia
''Soejatmia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae. It just contains one species, ''Soejatmia ridleyi'' (Gamble) K.M.Wong
Its native range is from the peninsula of Thailand to Malaya.
The genus name of ''Soe ...
'', ''
Thyrsostachys
''Thyrsostachys'' is a genus of Chinese and Indochinese bamboo in the grass family.
;Species
# ''Thyrsostachys oliveri'' Gamble - edible-seeded bamboo - Yunnan, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand; naturalised in Assam + Bangladesh
# ''Thyrsostachys siame ...
'', ''
Vietnamosasa
''Vietnamosasa'' is a genus of Indochinese bamboo in the grass family.
;Species
# ''Vietnamosasa ciliata'' (A.Camus) T.Q.Nguyen – Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
# ''Vietnamosasa darlacensis'' T.Q.Nguyen – Vietnam
# ''Vietnamosasa pusilla'' (A.Chev. ...
'', ''
Yersinochloa
''Yersinochloa'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae.
Its native range is Vietnam.
Species:
* ''Yersinochloa dalatensis
''Yersinochloa'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae
Poaceae ...
''.
* Subtribe
Chusqueinae
''Chusquea'' is a genus of evergreen bamboos in the grass family. Most of them are native to mountain habitats in Latin America, from Mexico to southern Chile and Argentina.
They are sometimes referred to as South American mountain bamboos. Un ...
:
*:one genus: ''
Chusquea
''Chusquea'' is a genus of evergreen bamboos in the grass family. Most of them are native to mountain habitats in Latin America, from Mexico to southern Chile and Argentina.
They are sometimes referred to as South American mountain bamboos. Unl ...
''.
* Subtribe
Dinochloinae:
*:7 genera: ''
Cyrtochloa
''Cyrtochloa'' is a genus of Philippine bamboo in the Poaceae, grass family.
Species
References
External links
Bambusoideae
Bambusoideae genera
Endemic flora of the Philippines
{{Philippines-stub ...
'', ''
Dinochloa
''Dinochloa'' is a genus of tropical clumping high-climbing bamboos in the grass family.
These species bear zigzag culms and fleshy fruits. They are found in the hill forests and lowland dipterocarp forest of southern China, Southeast Asia, a ...
'', ''
Mullerochloa
''Mullerochloa'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae. It just contains one species, ''Mullerochloa moreheadiana'' (F.M.Bailey) K.M.Wong
It is native to Queensland in north-eastern Australia.
The grass forms ...
'', ''
Neololeba
''Neololeba'' is a tropical Asian, Australian, and Papuasian genus of bamboos in the grass family.
;Species
* '' Neololeba amahussana'' (Lindl.) Widjaja – Ambon, Seram
* '' Neololeba atra'' (Lindl.) Widjaja- Philippines, Sulawesi, Maluku, N ...
'', ''
Pinga
In Inuit religion, Pinga ("the one who is p onhigh") is a goddess of the hunt and medicine. She is heavily associated with the sky.
Caribou Inuit tradition
In Caribou Inuit communities, Pinga had some authority over caribou herds. She became a ...
'', ''
Parabambusa
''Parabambusa'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae.
Its native range is New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . ...
'', ''
Sphaerobambos
''Sphaerobambos'' is a genus of Southeast Asian bamboo, in the grass family.
;Species
# ''Sphaerobambos hirsuta'' S.Dransf. - Sabah
# ''Sphaerobambos philippinensis'' (Gamble) S.Dransf. - Mindanao
# ''Sphaerobambos subtilis'' S.Dransf. - Sul ...
''.
* Subtribe
Greslaniinae
''Greslania'' is a genus of small perennial bamboo, bamboos in the Poaceae, grass family, endemic (ecology), endemic to New Caledonia, with 4 accepted species. :
*:one genus: ''
Greslania''.
* Subtribe
Guaduinae
The Guaduinae is a subtribe of bamboo (tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, ...
:
*:5 genera: ''
Apoclada
''Apoclada'' is a genus of Brazilian bamboo in the grass family).
The only known species is ''Apoclada simplex'', found in the forests of southeastern Brazil (States of Santa Catarina, Paraná, and São Paulo).Renvoize, S. A. 1988. Hatschbach ...
'', ''
Eremocaulon
''Eremocaulon'' is a genus of Brazilian bamboo in the grass family.
;SpeciesLondoño, X. & L. G. Clark. 2002. A revision of the Brazilian bamboo genus ''Eremocaulon'' (Poaceae: Bambuseae: Guaduinae). Systematic Botany 27(4): 703–721.
# ''Erem ...
'', ''
Guadua
''Guadua'' is a Neotropical genus of thorny, clumping bamboo in the grass family, ranging from moderate to very large species.
Physically, ''Guadua angustifolia'' is noted for being the largest Neotropical bamboo. The genus is similar to ''Bam ...
'', ''
Olmeca
''Olmeca'' is a genus of Mesoamerican bamboo in the grass family.
''Olmeca'' is the only known New World bamboo having large fleshy fruits. It also has rhizomes with long necks and very open clumps.
The genus is named for the Olmec peoples o ...
'', ''
Otatea''.
* Subtribe
Hickeliinae
The Hickeliinae are a subtribe of bamboo (tribe Bambuseae of the family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose o ...
:
*:9 genera: ''
Cathariostachys
''Cathariostachys'' is a genus of Madagascan bamboo in the grass family.
;Species
# '' Cathariostachys capitata'' - eastern Madagascar
# ''Cathariostachys madagascariensis'' (A.Camus) S.Dransf. - central Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, ...
'', ''
Decaryochloa
''Decaryochloa'' is a genus of Madagascar, Madagascan bamboo in the Poaceae, grass family.
There is only one known species, ''Decaryochloa diadelpha'', found only in Madagascar.
Description
''Decaryochloa'' is a bamboo liana. It flowers in Apri ...
'', ''
Hickelia
''Hickelia'' is a genus of African bamboo in the grass family.
;Species
# ''Hickelia africana'' S.Dransf. - Tanzania
# ''Hickelia alaotrensis'' A.Camus - Madagascar
# ''Hickelia madagascariensis'' A.Camus - Madagascar
# ''Hickelia perrieri'' (A ...
'', ''
Hitchcockella
''Hitchcockella baronii'' is a species of bamboo, the only known species of the genus ''Hitchcockella''. It is found in Madagascar and was first described by Aimée Antoinette Camus
Aimée Antoinette Camus (1 May 1879 – 17 April 1965) w ...
'', ''
Nastus
''Nastus'' is a genus of slender, erect, scrambling or climbing bamboos in the grass family. It is native to Southeast Asia, Papuasia, and certain islands in the Indian Ocean (Madagascar and Réunion).
;Species
;formerly included
see ''Arundi ...
'', ''
Perrierbambus
''Perrierbambus'' is a genus of Madagascan bamboo in the grass family.
The genus name of ''Perrierbambus'' is in honour of Joseph Marie Henry Alfred Perrier de la Bâthie (1873–1958), a French botanist who specialized in the plants of Madaga ...
'', ''
Sirochloa
''Sirochloa'' is a genus of bamboo in the grass family.
;Species
There is only one known species, ''Sirochloa parvifolia'', found in Madagascar and in nearby Comoros and Mayotte
Mayotte (; french: Mayotte, ; Shimaore: ''Maore'', ; Kibushi ...
'', ''
Sokinochloa'', ''
Valiha
The valiha is a tube zither from Madagascar made from a species of local bamboo; it is considered the " national instrument" of Madagascar. The term is also used to describe a number of related zithers of differing shapes and materials.
Th ...
''.
* Subtribe
Holttumochloinae:
*:3 genera: ''
Holttumochloa
''Holttumochloa'' is a genus of Malaysian bamboos in the Poaceae, grass family native to the hill forests of Peninsular Malaysia. It is sometimes included in the genus ''Bambusa''.
The genus name of ''Holttumochloa'' is in honour of Richard Eric ...
'', ''
Kinabaluchloa
''Kinabaluchloa'' is a genus of Southeast Asian bamboos in the Poaceae, grass family.
;Species
* ''Kinabaluchloa nebulosa'' K.M.Wong - Sabah, Brunei
* ''Kinabaluchloa wrayi'' (Stapf) K.M.Wong - Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam
References ...
'', ''
Nianhochloa
''Nianhochloa'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses ...
''.
* Subtribe
Melocanninae
The Melocanninae is a subtribe of bamboo (tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae).
Genera
Nine genera were accepted by Soreng et al.:
*'' Annamocalamus''
*''Cephalostachyum''
*''Davidsea''
*''Melocanna''
*''Neohouzeaua''
*''Ochlandra''
*''P ...
:
*:9 genera: ''
Annamocalamus'', ''
Cephalostachyum
''Cephalostachyum'' is a genus of Asian and Madagascan bamboo in the grass family.
The plants are of small to medium size compared to most other bamboo. Their choice habitats are mountain to lowland forests.
;Species
;formerly included
see '' ...
'', ''
Davidsea
''Davidsea attenuata'' is a Sri Lankan species of bamboo in the grass family.Melocanna
''Melocanna'' is a genus of Asian clumping bamboo in the grass family.
The 48-year cycle of '' M. baccifera'' in northeastern India is responsible for the phenomenon called "''mautam''" or " bamboo death", in which large populations of bamboo f ...
'', ''
Neohouzeaua
''Neohouzeaua'' is a genus of Asian bamboo within the Poaceae, grass family).Ochlandra
''Ochlandra'' is a genus of Indian bamboo in the grass family).
The species are endemic to the Western Ghats (India), except for one species from Sri Lanka.
;Species
;Formerly included
see '' Cathariostachys Nastus Schizostachyum Valiha
...
'', ''
Pseudostachyum
''Pseudostachyum polymorphum'' is a monotypic Asian species of bamboo in the Poaceae, grass family.Schizostachyum
''Schizostachyum'' is a tall or shrub-like tropical genus of bamboo. They are natives mostly of tropical Asia and Papuasia, with a few species in Madagascar and on certain islands in the Pacific. A few have become naturalized in other tropical ...
'', ''
Stapletonia''.
* Subtribe
Racemobambosinae:
*:3 genera: ''
Chloothamnus
The Bambuseae are the most diverse tribe of bamboos in the grass family (Poaceae). They consist of woody species from tropical regions, including some giant bamboos. Their sister group are the small herbaceous bamboos from the tropics in tribe ...
'', ''
Racemobambos
''Racemobambos'' is a genus of bamboo (tribe Bambuseae within the Poaceae) and the sole genus of its subtribe, the Racemobambodinae. The genus is native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papuasia
Papuasia is a Level 2 botanical region defined in ...
'', ''
Widjajachloa
''Widjajachloa'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasse ...
''.
* Subtribe
Temburongiinae
''Temburongia'' is a genus of bamboo from the Sultanate of Brunei on the Island of Borneo. It is usually classified in the subtribe
Subtribe is a taxonomic category ranking which is below the rank of tribe and above genus. The standard suffix ...
:
*:one genus: ''Temburongia''.
* ''incertae sedis''
*:2 genera: ''Ruhooglandia'', ''Temochloa''.
31 genera: ''Acidosasa'', ''Ampelocalamus'', ''Arundinaria'', ''Bashania'', ''Bergbambos'', ''Chimonobambusa'', ''Chimonocalamus'', ''Drepanostachyum'', ''Fargesia'', ''Ferrocalamus'', ''Gaoligongshania'', ''Gelidocalamus'', ''Himalayacalamus'', ''Indocalamus'', ''Indosasa'', ''Kuruna'', ''Oldeania'', ''Oligostachyum'', ''Phyllostachys'', ''Pleioblastus'', ''Pseudosasa'', ''Sarocalamus'', ''Sasa (plant), Sasa'', ''Sasaella'', ''Sasamorpha'', ''Semiarundinaria'', ''Shibataea'', ''Sinobambusa'', ''Thamnocalamus'', ''Vietnamocalamus'', ''Yushania''.
Distribution
![Bambusoideae World map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Bambusoideae_World_map.png)
Most bamboo species are native to warm and moist tropical and to warm temperate climates. However, many species are found in diverse climates, ranging from hot tropical regions to cool mountainous regions and highland cloud forests.
![Local farmer nearby the park](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Local_farmer_nearby_the_park.jpg)
In the Asia-Pacific, Asia-Pacific region they occur across East Asia, from north to 50 °N latitude in Sakhalin, to south to northern Australia, and west to India and the Himalayas. China, Japan, Korea, India and Australia, all have several endemic populations.
They also occur in small numbers in sub-Saharan Africa, confined to tropical areas, from southern Senegal in the north to southern Mozambique and Madagascar in the south.
In the Americas, bamboo has a native range from 47 °S in southern Argentina and the beech forests of central Chile, through the South American tropical rainforests, to the Andes in Ecuador near .
Three species of bamboo, all in the genus ''Arundinaria'', are also native through Central America and Mexico, northward into the Southeastern United States. Bamboo thickets called canebrakes once formed a dominant ecosystem in some parts of the Southeastern United States, but they are now considered critically endangered ecosystems. Canada and continental Europe are not known to have any native species of bamboo.
As garden plants, many species grow readily outside these ranges, including most of Europe and the United States.
Recently, some attempts have been made to grow bamboo on a commercial basis in the African Great Lakes, Great Lakes region of east-central Africa, especially in Rwanda. In the United States, several companies are growing, harvesting, and distributing species such as ''Phyllostachys nigra'' (Henon) and ''Phyllostachys edulis'' (Moso).
File:მოსო ბამბუკი.JPG, ''Phyllostachys pubescens'' in Batumi Botanical Garden
File:Sagano Bamboo forest, Arashiyama, Kyoto.jpg, Bamboo forest in Arashiyama
File:Trilha do Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos Sede Petrópolis.jpg, Serra dos Órgãos National Park, Brazil
File:Bamboo123.jpg, Bamboo forest in KwaZulu-Natal
File:Bamboo bambou bambuseae phyllostachys VAN DEN HENDE ALAIN CC-BY-SA-4 0 210520142095.jpg, Bamboo forest in Isère, France
File:Bamboo forest at Rutgers University botanical gardens.JPG, Bamboo forest at the Rutgers Gardens, North Brunswick, New Jersey, North Brunswick, New Jersey
File:2288 - bamboo - Alain Van den Hende 17072288 Licence CC BY-SA-3.0.jpg, Bamboo forest in France
File:Bamboo forest, Taiwan.jpg, Bamboo forest in Taiwan
Bamboo bush at Orange Isle 1.jpg, Bamboo bush at Orange Isle
Ecology
![Bamboo Canopy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Bamboo_Canopy.jpg)
The two general patterns for the growth of bamboo are "clumping", and "running", with short and long underground rhizomes, respectively. Clumping bamboo species tend to spread slowly, as the growth pattern of the rhizomes is to simply expand the root mass gradually, similar to ornamental grasses. "Running" bamboos, though, need to be controlled during cultivation because of their potential for aggressive behavior. They spread mainly through their
rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
s, which can spread widely underground and send up new culms to break through the surface. Running bamboo species are highly variable in their tendency to spread; this is related to both the species and the soil and climate conditions. Some can send out runners of several meters a year, while others can stay in the same general area for long periods. If neglected, over time, they can cause problems by moving into adjacent areas.
Bamboos include some of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, with reported growth rates up to in 24 hours.
[ However, the growth rate is dependent on local soil and climatic conditions, as well as species, and a more typical growth rate for many commonly cultivated bamboos in temperate climates is in the range of per day during the growing period. Primarily growing in regions of warmer climates during the late Cretaceous period, vast fields existed in what is now Asia. Some of the largest timber bamboo can grow over tall, and be as large as in diameter. However, the size range for mature bamboo is species-dependent, with the smallest bamboos reaching only several inches high at maturity. A typical height range that would cover many of the common bamboos grown in the United States is , depending on species. Anji County of China, known as the "Town of Bamboo", provides the optimal climate and soil conditions to grow, harvest, and process some of the most valued bamboo poles available worldwide.
Unlike all trees, individual bamboo Culm (botany), culms emerge from the ground at their full diameter and grow to their full height in a single growing season of three to four months. During this time, each new shoot grows vertically into a culm with no branching out until the majority of the mature height is reached. Then, the branches extend from the nodes and leafing out occurs. In the next year, the pulpy wall of each culm slowly hardens. During the third year, the culm hardens further. The shoot is now a fully mature culm. Over the next 2–5 years (depending on species), fungus begins to form on the outside of the culm, which eventually penetrates and overcomes the culm. Around 5–8 years later (species- and climate-dependent), the fungal growths cause the culm to collapse and decay. This brief life means culms are ready for harvest and suitable for use in construction within about three to seven years. Individual bamboo culms do not get any taller or larger in diameter in subsequent years than they do in their first year, and they do not replace any growth lost from pruning or natural breakage. Bamboo has a wide range of hardiness depending on species and locale. Small or young specimens of an individual species produce small culms initially. As the clump and its rhizome system mature, taller and larger culms are produced each year until the plant approaches its particular species limits of height and diameter.
Many tropical bamboo species die at or near freezing temperatures, while some of the hardier temperate bamboos can survive temperatures as low as . Some of the hardiest bamboo species can be grown in Hardiness zone, USDA plant hardiness zone 5, although they typically defoliate and may even lose all above-ground growth, yet the rhizomes survive and send up shoots again the next spring. In milder climates, such as USDA zone 7 and above, most bamboo remain fully leafed out and green year-round.
]
Mass flowering
Bamboos seldom and unpredictably flower and the frequency of flowering varies greatly from species to species. Once flowering takes place, a plant declines and often dies entirely. In fact, many species only flower at intervals as long as 65 or 120 years. These taxa exhibit mass flowering (or gregarious flowering), with all plants in a particular 'cohort' flowering over a several-year period. Any plant derived through clonal propagation from this cohort will also flower regardless of whether it has been planted in a different location. The longest mass flowering interval known is 130 years, and it is for the species ''Phyllostachys bambusoides'' (Sieb. & Zucc.). In this species, all plants of the same stock flower at the same time, regardless of differences in geographic locations or climatic conditions, and then the bamboo dies. The lack of environmental impact on the time of flowering indicates the presence of some sort of "alarm clock" in each cell of the plant which signals the diversion of all energy to flower production and the cessation of vegetative growth. This mechanism, as well as the evolutionary cause behind it, is still largely a mystery.
Invasive species
Some bamboo species are acknowledged as having high potential for becoming invasive species. A study commissioned by International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation, found that invasive species typically are varieties that spread via rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
s rather than by clumping, as most commercially viable woody bamboos do. Certain bamboos have become problematic, such as the ''Phyllostachys'' species of bamboo which are considered invasive and illegal to sell or propagate in some areas of the US. There are approximately 61 species of ''Phyllostachys''.
Animal diet
Soft bamboo shoots, stems and leaves are the major food source of the giant panda of China, the red panda of Nepal, and the bamboo lemurs of Madagascar. Rats eat the fruits as described above. Mountain gorillas of Central Africa also feed on bamboo, and have been documented consuming bamboo sap which was fermented and alcoholic; Chimpanzee, chimpanzees and elephants of the region also eat the stalks. The golden bamboo lemur ingests many times the quantity of the Wiktionary:taxiphyllin, taxiphyllin-containing bamboo that would kill a human.
The larvae of the bamboo borer (the moth ''Omphisa fuscidentalis'') of Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Yunnan, China feed off the pulp of live bamboo. In turn, these caterpillars are considered a Entomophagy, local delicacy.
Cultivation
General
Harvesting
Bamboo used for construction purposes must be harvested when the culms reach their greatest strength and when sugar levels in the sap are at their lowest, as high sugar content increases the ease and rate of Pest (organism), pest infestation. As compared to forest trees, bamboo species grow fast. Bamboo plantations can be readily harvested for a shorter period than tree plantations.
Harvesting of bamboo is typically undertaken according to these cycles:
* Lifecycle of the culm: As each individual Culm (botany), culm goes through a 5- to 7-year lifecycle, culms are ideally allowed to reach this level of maturity prior to full capacity harvesting. The clearing out or thinning of culms, particularly older decaying culms, helps to ensure adequate light and resources for new growth. Well-maintained clumps may have a productivity three to four times that of an unharvested wild clump. Consistent with the lifecycle described above, bamboo is harvested from two to three years through to five to seven years, depending on the species.
* Annual cycle: As all growth of new bamboo occurs during the wet season, disturbing the clump during this phase will potentially damage the upcoming crop. Also during this high-rainfall period, sap levels are at their highest, and then diminish towards the dry season. Picking immediately prior to the wet/growth season may also damage new shoots. Hence, harvesting is best a few months prior to the start of the wet season.
* Daily cycle: During the height of the day, photosynthesis is at its peak, producing the highest levels of sugar in sap, making this the least ideal time of day to harvest. Many traditional practitioners believe the best time to harvest is at dawn or dusk on a waning moon.
Leaching
Leaching is the removal of sap after harvest. In many areas of the world, the sap levels in harvested bamboo are reduced either through leaching or postharvest photosynthesis.
For example:
* Cut bamboo is raised clear of the ground and leaned against the rest of the clump for one to two weeks until leaves turn yellow to allow full consumption of sugars by the plant.
* A similar method is undertaken, but with the base of the culm standing in fresh water, either in a large drum or stream to leach out sap.
* Cut culms are immersed in a running stream and weighted down for three to four weeks.
* Water is pumped through the freshly cut culms, forcing out the sap (this method is often used in conjunction with the injection of some form of treatment).
In the process of water leaching, the bamboo is dried slowly and evenly in the shade to avoid cracking in the outer skin of the bamboo, thereby reducing opportunities for pest infestation.
Durability of bamboo in construction is directly related to how well it is handled from the moment of planting through harvesting, transportation, storage, design, construction, and maintenance. Bamboo harvested at the correct time of year and then exposed to ground contact or rain will break down just as quickly as incorrectly harvested material.
Toxicity
Gardeners working with bamboo plants have occasionally reported Allergic response, allergic reactions varying from no effects during previous exposures, to immediate itchiness and rash developing into red welts after several hours where the skin had been in contact with the plant (Contact dermatitis, contact allergy), and in some cases into swollen eyelids and breathing difficulties (dyspnoea). A Skin allergy test, skin prick test using bamboo extract was positive for the Immunoglobulin E , immunoglobulin E (IgE) in an available case study.
The shoots (newly emerged culms) of bamboo contain the toxin taxiphyllin (a cyanogenic glycoside), which produces cyanide in the gut.
Uses
Culinary
The shoots of most species are edible either raw or cooked, with the tough sheath removed. Cooking removes the slight bitterness. The shoots are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths, and are available in supermarkets in various sliced forms, in both fresh and canned versions.
The bamboo shoot in its fermented state forms an important ingredient in cuisines across the Himalayas. In Assam, India, for example, it is called ''khorisa''. In Nepal, a delicacy popular across ethnic boundaries consists of bamboo shoots fermented with turmeric and oil, and cooked with potatoes into a dish that usually accompanies rice ( () in Nepali language, Nepali).
In Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, they are sliced thin and then boiled with ''santan'' (thick coconut milk) and spices to make a dish called ''gulai rebung''. Other recipes using bamboo shoots are ''sayur lodeh'' (mixed vegetables in coconut milk) and ''lun pia'' (sometimes written ''lumpia'': fried wrapped bamboo shoots with vegetables). The shoots of some species contain toxins that need to be leached or boiled out before they can be eaten safely.
Pickled bamboo, used as a condiment, may also be made from the pith of the young shoots.
The sap of young stalks tapped during the rainy season may be fermentation (wine), fermented to make ''ulanzi'' (a sweet wine) or simply made into a soft drink. Bamboo leaves are also used as wrappers for steamed zongzi, dumplings which usually contains glutinous rice and other ingredients, such as the zongzi from China.
Pickled bamboo shoots ( ne, तामा, link=no ) are cooked with black-eyed beans as a delicacy in Nepal. Many Nepalese restaurants around the world serve this dish as ''aloo bodi tama''. Fresh bamboo shoots are sliced and pickled with mustard seeds and turmeric and kept in glass jar in direct sunlight for the best taste. It is used alongside many dried beans in cooking during winters. Baby shoots (Nepali language, Nepali: ''tusa'') of a very different variety of bamboo ( ne, निगालो, link=no ) native to Nepal is cooked as a curry in hilly regions.
In Sambalpur, India, the tender shoots are grated into julienning, juliennes and fermentation (food), fermented to prepare ''kardi''. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word for bamboo shoot, ''karira''. This fermented bamboo shoot is used in various culinary preparations, notably ''amil'', a sour vegetable soup. It is also made into pancakes using rice flour as a binding agent. The shoots that have turned a little fibrous are fermented, dried, and ground to sand-sized particles to prepare a garnish known as ''hendua''. It is also cooked with tender pumpkin leaves to make sag green leaves.
In Konkani people, Konkani cuisine, the tender shoots (''kirlu'') are grated and cooked with crushed jackfruit seeds to prepare ''kirla sukke''.
In southern India and some regions of southwest China, the seeds of the dying bamboo plant are consumed as a grain known as "bamboo rice". The taste of cooked bamboo seeds is reported to be similar to wheat and the appearance similar to rice, but bamboo seeds have been found to have lower nutrient levels than both. The seeds can be pulverized into a flour with which to make cakes.
The Indian state of Sikkim has promoted bamboo water bottles to keep the state free from plastic bottles
The empty hollow in the stalks of larger bamboo is often used to cook food in many Asian cultures. Soups are boiled and rice is cooked in the hollows of fresh stalks of bamboo directly over a flame. Similarly, steamed tea is sometimes rammed into bamboo hollows to produce compressed tea, compressed forms of pu'er tea. Cooking food in bamboo is said to give the food a subtle but distinctive taste.
Fuel
Bambooworking
Bamboo was used by humans for various purposes from a very early time. Categories of bambooworking Bambooworking is the activity or skill of making items from bamboo, and includes architecture, carpentry, furniture and cabinetry, carving, joinery, and weaving. Its historical roots in Asia span cultures, civilizations, and millennia, and is foun ...
include:
Writing surface
Bamboo was in widespread use in early China as a medium for written documents. The earliest surviving examples of such documents, written in ink on string-bound bundles of bamboo strips (or "slips"), date from the fifth century BC during the Warring States period. However, references in earlier texts surviving on other media make it clear that some precursor of these Warring States period bamboo slips was in use as early as the late Shang period (from about 1250 BC).
Bamboo or wooden strips were used as the standard writing material during the early Han dynasty, and excavated examples have been found in abundance. Subsequently, History of paper, paper began to displace bamboo and wooden strips from mainstream uses, and by the fourth century AD, bamboo slips had been largely abandoned as a medium for writing in China.
Bamboo fiber has been used to make paper in China since early times. A high-quality, handmade bamboo paper is still produced in small quantities. Coarse bamboo paper is still used to make Joss paper, spirit money in many Chinese communities.
Bamboo pulp (paper), pulps are mainly produced in China, Myanmar, Thailand, and India, and are used in printing and writing papers. Several paper industries are surviving on bamboo forests. Ballarpur (Chandrapur, Maharstra) paper mills use bamboo for paper production. The most common bamboo species used for paper are ''Dendrocalamus asper'' and ''Bambusa blumeana''. It is also possible to make dissolving pulp from bamboo. The average fiber length is similar to hardwoods, but the properties of bamboo pulp are closer to softwood
file:Pinus sylvestris wood ray section 1 beentree.jpg, Scots Pine, a typical and well-known softwood
Softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees such as conifers. The term is opposed to hardwood, which is the wood from angiosperm trees. The main diff ...
pulps due to it having a very broad fiber length distribution. With the help of molecular tools, it is now possible to distinguish the superior fiber-yielding species/varieties even at juvenile stages of their growth, which can help in unadulterated merchandise production.
In Central India, there are regular bamboo working circles in forest areas of Maharashtra, Madhyapradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Most of the bamboo is harvested for papermaking. Bamboo is cut after three years of its germination. No cutting is done during the rainy season (July–September); broken and malformed culms are harvested first.
Writing pen
In olden times, people in India used hand-made pens (known as Kalam or boru (बोरू)) made from thin bamboo sticks (with diameters of 5–10 mm and lengths of 100–150 mm) by simply peeling them on one side and making a nib-like pattern at the end. The pen would then be dipped in ink for writing.
Textiles
Since the fibers of bamboo are very short (less than ), they are not usually transformed into yarn by a natural process. The usual process by which textiles labeled as being made of bamboo are produced uses only rayon made from the fibers with heavy employment of chemicals. To accomplish this, the fibers are broken down with chemicals and extruded through mechanical spinnerets; the chemicals include lye, carbon disulfide, and strong acids. Retailers have sold both end products as "bamboo fabric" to cash in on bamboo's current ecofriendly cachet; however, the Canadian Competition Bureau and the US Federal Trade Commission, as of mid-2009, are cracking down on the practice of labeling bamboo rayon as natural bamboo fabric. Under the guidelines of both agencies, these products must be labeled as rayon with the optional qualifier "from bamboo".
= Fabric
=
Construction
Bamboo, like true wood
Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...
, is a natural building material
Building material is material used for construction. Many naturally occurring substances, such as clay, rock (geology), rocks, sand, wood, and even twigs and leaves, have been used to construct buildings. Apart from naturally occurring materia ...
with a high strength-to-weight ratio useful for structures. In its natural form, bamboo as a construction material is traditionally associated with the cultures of South Asia, East Asia, and the South Pacific, to some extent in Central and South America, and by extension in the aesthetic of Tiki culture.
In China and India, bamboo was used to hold up simple suspension bridges, either by making cables of split bamboo or twisting whole culms of sufficiently pliable bamboo together. One such bridge in the area of Qian-Xian is referenced in writings dating back to 960 AD and may have stood since as far back as the third century BC, due largely to continuous maintenance.
Bamboo has also long been used as scaffolding; the practice has been banned in China for buildings over six stories, but is still in continuous use for skyscrapers in Hong Kong.
In the Philippines, the nipa hut is a fairly typical example of the most basic sort of house, housing where bamboo is used; the walls are split and woven bamboo, and bamboo slats and poles may be used as its support.
In Japanese architecture, bamboo is used primarily as a supplemental or decorative element in buildings such as fencing, fountains, grates, and gutters, largely due to the ready abundance of quality timber.
Many ethnic groups in remote areas that have water access in Asia use bamboo that is 3–5 years old to make rafts. They use 8 to 12 poles, long, laid together side by side to a width of about . Once the poles are lined up together, they cut a hole crosswise through the poles at each end and use a small bamboo pole pushed through that hole like a screw to hold all the long bamboo poles together. Floating houses use whole bamboo stalks tied together in a big bunch to support the house floating in the water.
Fishing and aquaculture
Due to its flexibility, bamboo is also used to make fishing rods. The split cane rod is especially prized for fly fishing.
Firecrackers
Bamboo has been traditionally used in Malaysia as a firecracker called a ''meriam buluh'' or bamboo cannon. Four-foot-long sections of bamboo are cut, and a mixture of water and calcium carbide are introduced. The resulting acetylene gas is ignited with a stick, producing a loud bang.
Weapons
Bamboo has often been used to construct weapons and is still incorporated in several Asian martial arts.
* A bamboo staff, sometimes with one end sharpened, is used in the Tamils, Tamil martial art of ''silambam'', a word derived from a term meaning "hill bamboo".
* Staves used in the Indian martial art of ''gatka'' are commonly made from bamboo, a material favoured for its light weight.
* A bamboo sword called a ''shinai'' is used in the Japanese martial art of ''kendo''.
* Bamboo is used for crafting the bows, called ''yumi'', and arrows used in the Japanese martial art ''kyūdō''.
* The first gunpowder-based weapons, such as the fire lance, were made of bamboo.
* Sharpened bamboo javelins weighted with sand known as ''bagakay'' were used as disposable missile weapons in both mangayaw, land and naval warfare in the Philippines. They were thrown in groups at a time at enemy ships or massed enemy formations. Non-disposable finely-crafted throwing spears made from bamboo weighted with sand known as ''sugob'' were also used. ''Sugob'' were mainly used for close-quarters combat and were only thrown when they could be retrieved.
*Metal-tipped blowgun-spears called sumpit (or sumpitan), used by various ethnic groups in the islands of the Philippines, Borneo, and Sulawesi, were generally made from hollowed bamboo. They used thick short darts dipped in the concentrated sap of ''Antiaris toxicaria'' which could cause lethal cardiac arrest.
Desalination
Bamboo can be used in Desalination, water desalination. A bamboo filter is used to remove the salt from seawater.
Musical instruments
Indicator of climate change
The Song dynasty (960–1279 AD) Chinese scientist and polymath Shen Kuo (1031–1095) used the evidence of underground petrified bamboo found in the dry northern climate of Yan'an, Shanbei region, Shaanxi province to support his geological theory of gradual Climate variability and change, climate change.[Chan, Alan Kam-leung and Gregory K. Clancey, Hui-Chieh Loy (2002). Historical Perspectives on East Asian Science, Technology and Medicine. Singapore: Singapore University Press. . p. 15.][Needham, Joseph (1986). ''Science and Civilization in China'': Volume 3, ''Mathematics and the Sciences of the Heavens and the Earth''. Taipei: Caves Books, Ltd. p. 614.]
Kitchenware and other usage
Bamboo is frequently used for cooking utensils within many cultures, and is used in the manufacture of chopsticks. In modern times, some see bamboo tools as an eco-friendly alternative to other manufactured utensils.
Bamboo is also used to make eating utensils such as chopsticks, trays, and tea scoops. Several manufacturers offer bamboo bicycles, surfboards, snowboards, and skateboards.
Bamboo has traditionally been used to make a wide range of everyday utensils and cutting board#Bamboo, cutting boards, particularly in Japan, where archaeological excavations have uncovered bamboo baskets dating to the Late Jōmon period (2000–1000 BC).
Bamboo has a long history of use in Asian furniture. Chinese furniture, Chinese bamboo furniture is a distinct style based on a millennia-long tradition, and bamboo is also used for bamboo floor, floors due to its high Janka hardness test, hardness.
In culture
Several Asian cultures, including that of the Andaman Islands, believe humanity emerged from a bamboo stem.
China
Bamboo's long life makes it a Chinese symbol of uprightness and an Indian symbol of friendship. The rarity of its bamboo blossom, blossoming has led to the flowers' being regarded as a sign of impending famine. This may be due to rats feeding upon the profusion of flowers, then multiplying and destroying a large part of the local food supply. The most recent flowering began in May 2006 (see Mautam). Bamboo is said to bloom in this manner only about every 50 years (see 28–60 year examples i
FAO: 'gregarious' species table
).
In Culture of China, Chinese culture, the bamboo, Prunus mume, plum blossom, orchid, and chrysanthemum (often known as ''méi lán zhú jú'' in Chinese) are collectively referred to as the Four Gentlemen. These four plants also represent the four seasons and, in Confucianism, Confucian ideology, four aspects of the ''junzi'' ("prince" or "noble one"). The pine (''sōng'' ), the bamboo (''zhú'' ), and the plum blossom (''méi'' ) are also admired for their perseverance under harsh conditions, and are together known as the "Three Friends of Winter" () in Chinese culture.
Attributions of character
Bamboo, one of the "Four Gentlemen" (bamboo, orchid, plum blossom and chrysanthemum), plays such an important role in traditional Chinese culture that it is even regarded as a behavior model of the gentleman. As bamboo has features such as uprightness, tenacity, and modesty, people endow bamboo with integrity, elegance, and plainness, though it is not physically strong. Countless poems praising bamboo written by ancient Chinese poets are actually metaphorically about people who exhibited these characteristics. An ancient poet, Bai Juyi (772–846), thought that to be a gentleman, a man does not need to be physically strong, but he must be mentally strong, upright, and perseverant. Just as a bamboo is hollow-hearted, he should open his heart to accept anything of benefit and never have arrogance or prejudice.
Bamboo is not only a symbol of a gentleman, but also plays an important role in Buddhism, which was introduced into China in the first century. As canons of Buddhism forbids cruelty to animals, flesh and egg were not allowed in the diet. The tender bamboo shoot (''sǔn'' in Chinese) thus became a nutritious alternative. Preparation methods developed over thousands of years have come to be incorporated into Asian cuisines, especially for monks. A Buddhist monk, Zan Ning, wrote a manual of the bamboo shoot called ''Sǔn Pǔ'' () offering descriptions and recipes for many kinds of bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoot has always been a traditional dish on the Chinese dinner table, especially in southern China.
In ancient times, those who could afford a big house with a yard would plant bamboo in their garden.
Mythology
In a Chinese legend, the Emperor Yao gave two of his daughters to the future Emperor Shun as a test for his potential to rule. Shun passed the test of being able to run his household with the two emperor's daughters as wives, and thus Yao made Shun his successor, bypassing his unworthy son. After Shun's death, the tears of his two bereaved wives fell upon the bamboos growing there explains the origin of spotted bamboo. The two women later became goddesses Xiangshuishen after drowning themselves in the Xiang River.
Japan
Bamboo is a symbol of prosperity in Japan, and are used to make Japanese New Year, New Year's decorations called ''kadomatsu''. Bamboo forests sometimes surround Jinja (Shinto), Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples as part of a sacred barrier against evil. In the Japanese folktales, folktale ''Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' (''Taketori Monogatari''), princess Kaguya emerges from a shining bamboo section.
In Japan, the Chinese "Three Friends of Winter" (''kansai sanyū'') concept is traditionally used as a ranking system, where pine ( ''matsu'') is the first rank, bamboo ( ''take'') is the second rank, and plum ( ''ume'') is the third rank. This system is used in many traditional arts like with sushi sets, embroidering kimono or tiers of accommodations at traditional ''ryokan (inn), ryōkan'' taverns.
Malaysia
In Malaysia, a similar story includes a man who dreams of a beautiful woman while sleeping under a bamboo plant; he wakes up and breaks the bamboo stem, discovering the woman inside.
Philippines
In Philippine mythology, one of the more famous creation accounts tells of the first man ''Malakás'' ("Strong") and the first woman ''Maganda'' ("Beautiful") each emerging from one half of a split bamboo stem on an island formed after the battle between Sky and Ocean.
Vietnam
Attributions of character
Bamboo plays an important part of the culture of Vietnam. Bamboo symbolizes the spirit of Vovinam (a Vietnamese martial arts): ''cương nhu phối triển'' (coordination between hard and soft (martial arts)). Bamboo also symbolizes the Vietnamese hometown and Vietnamese soul: the gentlemanlike, straightforwardness, hard working, optimism, unity, and adaptability. A Vietnamese proverb says, "Tre già, măng mọc" (When the bamboo is old, the bamboo sprouts appear), the meaning being Vietnam will never be annihilated; if the previous generation dies, the children take their place. Therefore, the Vietnam nation and Vietnamese value will be maintained and developed eternally. Traditional Vietnamese villages are surrounded by thick bamboo hedges (''lũy tre'').
During Ngô Đình Diệm's presidency, bamboo was the national symbol of South Vietnam, it was featured on the national coat of arms, presidential standard, and South Vietnamese đồng coins at the time.
Mythology
A bamboo cane is also the weapon of Vietnamese people, Vietnamese legendary hero, Thánh Gióng, who had grown up immediately and magically since the age of three because of his wish to liberate his land from Ân invaders. The ancient Vietnamese legend ''Cây tre trăm đốt'' (The Hundred-knot Bamboo Tree) tells of a poor, young farmer who fell in love with his landlord's beautiful daughter. The farmer asked the landlord for his daughter's hand in marriage, but the proud landlord would not allow her to be bound in marriage to a poor farmer. The landlord decided to foil the marriage with an impossible deal; the farmer must bring him a "bamboo tree of 100 plant stems, nodes". But Gautama Buddha (''Bụt'') appeared to the farmer and told him that such a tree could be made from 100 nodes from several different trees. ''Bụt'' gave to him four magic words to attach the many nodes of bamboo: ''Khắc nhập, khắc xuất'', which means "joined together immediately, fell apart immediately". The triumphant farmer returned to the landlord and demanded his daughter. Curious to see such a long bamboo, the landlord was magically joined to the bamboo when he touched it, as the young farmer said the first two magic words. The story ends with the happy marriage of the farmer and the landlord's daughter after the landlord agreed to the marriage and asked to be separated from the bamboo.
Africa
Bozo
The Bozo people, Bozo ethnic group of West Africa take their name from the Bambara language, Bambara phrase ''bo-so'', which means "bamboo house".
Saint Lucia
Bamboo is also the national plant of St. Lucia.
Hawaiian
Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian bamboo ''('ohe)'' is a ''kinolau'' or body form of the Polynesian mythology, Polynesian creator god Kāne.
North America
Arundinaria bamboos, known as giant cane or river cane, are a central part of the material cultures of Southeastern Native American nations, so much so that they have been called "the plastic of the Southeastern Indians." Among the Cherokee, river cane has been used to make waterproof baskets, mats, fishing poles, flutes, blowguns, arrows, and to build houses, among other uses; the seed and young shoots are also edible.
See also
* Bamboo blossom
* Bamboo processing machine
* Bamboo torture
* Bambuseae
* Ceremonial pole
* Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia
* International Network for Bamboo and Rattan
* List of bamboo species
* Mautam
* Textile#Plant textiles, Plant textiles
*Table of Wood and Bamboo Mechanical and Agricultural Properties
* Xiangshuishen (Xiang River goddesses)
References
Further reading
''Bamboo – The Plant and its Uses''. Part of the Tropical Forestry book series (TROPICAL, volume 10), 2015.
External links
*
Bamboo for Climate Change
by INBAR.
*
{{Authority control
Bamboo,
Bambusoideae,
Building materials
Garden plants of Asia, Bamboo
Garden plants of Australia, Bamboo
Garden plants of North America, Bamboo
Garden plants of South America, Bamboo
Garden plants, Bamboo
National symbols of Saint Lucia
National symbols of Japan
National symbols of China
Rhizomatous plants
Stem vegetables