Bambusa bambos

Bambusa bambos
In the botanical Gardens of Kerala Forest research institute, veluppadam, kerala, india
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Bambusa
Species: B. bambos
Binomial name
Bambusa bambos
(L.) Voss[1]
in the Singapore Botanic Gardens
the specimen at kerala forest research institute, veluppadam, kerala, india

Bambusa bambos, or the Indian Thorny Bamboo, is a species of clumping bamboo native to southern Asia (India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Assam, Indochina). It is also naturalized in Seychelles, Central America, West Indies, Java, Malaysia, Maluku, Philippines.[2][3]

Plant is known as "ක‍ටු උණ - katu una" in Sri Lanka, by Sinhalese people.

Habit

It is a tall bright green colored spiny bamboo species, which growing in thickets consisting of a large number of heavily branched, closely growing culms. It reaches a height of 10-35m. it grows naturally in the forests of the dry zones.

Appearance

Culm is not straight, and bright green, which becomes brownish green when drying. Young shoots are deep purple in color. Culm is armed with stout curved spines. Branches spread out from the base. Aerial roots reach up to few nodes above. Internode length is 15-46cm, and diameter is 3-20cm. Culm walls are 2.5-5cm thick. Nodes are prominent and rootstock are stout.

Culm sheath is dark brown when mature. It is elongated and cylindrical. Length of the sheath proper is 15-25cm in length and 12-30cm wide. Blade length is 4-12cm. Auricles are not prominent. Upper surface of the sheath covered with blackish-brown hairs. Lower surface of the sheath is not hairy. Sheaths fall early.

Uses

They are extensively used in many works. They are prominently used for making bridges and for ladders. Leaves are used for thatching.

References

  1. "Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss". The Plant List, RBG Kew. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  2. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. Ohrnberger, Dieter (1999). The bamboos of the world: annotated nomenclature and literature of the species and the higher and lower taxa. Elsevier. p. 255. ISBN 978-0-444-50020-5.