is a species of flowering plant in the genus '' Sasa'', in the

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 ...

family.

Description

''Sasa veitchii'' is a large species of bamboo grass which may reach a height of 1-2m, with leaves about 20cm in length and 4-5cm in width. Young leaves are initially uniform green in color but develop light-colored edges as they mature overwinter. In its native Japan, it is found as a dense covering on some forest floors. The term ''kumazasa'' is not precise and can refer to a variety of bamboo grass species other than ''S.veitchii'', including ''S. kurilensis'', ''S. senanensis'', ''S. palmata'', and others.

Uses

This species is often planted in gardens as ornamental ground cover. The leaves can be used to make herbal tea, and are traditionally ground up and taken as a folk remedy for diabetes and hypertension, although there is no scientific consensus on its efficacy as medicine. In Ishikawa,

Nagano Nagano may refer to: Places * Nagano Prefecture, a prefecture in Japan ** Nagano (city), the capital city of the same prefecture *** Nagano 1998, the 1998 Winter Olympics *** Nagano Olympic Stadium, a baseball stadium in Nagano *** Nagano Universi ...

, and Niigata prefectures, the leaves are used as wrapping for regional varieties of

sushi is a Japanese cuisine, Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is " ...

and rice dumplings. It also has some uses as a textile, for example in the manufacture of absorbent floor mats.

References

External links

* * Bambusoideae Endemic flora of Japan Grasses of Asia Taxa named by Élie-Abel Carrière {{Bamboo-stub