Ferrocalamus

Iron bamboo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Bambusoideae
Supertribe: Bambusodae
Tribe: Bambuseae
Subtribe: Arundinariinae
Genus: Ferrocalamus
J.R.Xue & Keng.f.
Species: F. strictus
Binomial name
Ferrocalamus strictus
Hsuey & Keng.f.
Synonyms[1]

Ferrocalamus rimosivaginus T.H.Wen

Ferrocalamus (iron bamboo) is a genus of Chinese bamboo in the grass family.[2]

The only known species is Ferrocalamus strictus, endemic to China. The plant is known only from southern Yunnan, at elevations of 900 to 1,200 m above sea level.[3]

Taxonomy

The genus Ferrocalamus is related to Indocalamus. However, Ferrocalamus is tree-like while Indocalamus is a shrub.

Description

Ferrocalamus is a perennial shrubby bamboo having erect culms. The culms are about 5–9 m long with 20–50 mm diameter. The internodes are long, thick walled, with a ring of white hairs below the nodes. Culm sheaths are persistent, leathery at base, thinner at apex. The auricles are small or absent. Leaf blade is large with transverse venation. Inflorescence is a large panicle on leafy flowering branches. It has 3 stamens with free filaments. Ovary is glabrous having short styles short, with 2 stigmas. Fruit is rounded berry-like, succulent with thickened, fleshy pericarp but without hardened endocarp.[4][5]

Uses

In the past, the culms were commonly used for making arrows.[4]

References

  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. Xue, Ji Ru & Keng, Pai Chieh. 1982. Journal of Bamboo Research 1(2): 3
  3. Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 135 铁竹属 tie zhu shu Ferrocalamus Hsueh & P. C. Keng, J. Bamboo Res. 1(2): 3. 1982.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Li DZ, Stapleton C (1982). "Ferrocalamus". In Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY. Flora of China. St. Louis: Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Bot. Garden Press. p. 135.
  5. Clayton WD, Vorontsova MS, Harman KT, Williamson H (2006 onwards). "World Grass Species: Descriptions, Identification, and Information Retrieval". GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora. The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2013-05-29. Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links