Bambusa longispiculata

Thai names: ไผ่ลำมะลอก (phai lam malok) (Peninsular); ไผ่ยายกอ (phai yai ko) (Ratchaburi). — T. Smitinand, 2001 [#1003]; BKF [#1368].

English name: Long Branch Bamboo.

Distribution: THAILAND: mainly found in the East, Center, and upper South, possibly introduced and naturalized. — MYANMAR. — BANGLADESH. — INDIA (North-East). — Up to 1,000 m altitude.

Culm size: Height 10–15 m, diameter 5–8 (10) cm.

Descriptions:

(1) "Culms 10-15 m high, 7-10 cm in diameter, green in fairly open clumps; nodes slightly thickened, with a circular band of white pubescence above and occasionally lower few nodes have an additional narrow circular band below; internodes 30-70 cm long. Young shoots grayish green with dark brown hairs; blades leathery, acute. Culm-sheaths 16-25 cm long and 16-30 cm broad, generally covered with brownish-black appressed hairs; blade broadly triangular, cordate, erect, hairy within, the base narrowed to a wavy fringed band along the upper edge of the sheath; ligule 4 mm high, entire or lacerate, ciliate; auricles unequal, prominent, falcate, with bristles, deciduous. Leaves 18-30 cm long and 2.5-6.5 cm broad, linear-oblong, glabrous above, whitish below. …" — K. K. Seethalakshmi & al., Bamboos of India, 1998: p. 56 [#1062].

(2) "Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 1200–1500 cm long; 40–80 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 10–20 cm long; mid-green. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three, or several; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths deciduous; hispid; with black hairs; auriculate; ciliate on shoulders. Culm-sheath blade ovate; as wide as sheath at base. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–25 cm long; 20–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy abaxially. … [flowers and seeds described]." — Kew GrassBase, accessed 13 Aug. 2020 [#1335].

Images: Line drawing in K. K. Seethalakshmi & al., Bamboos of India, 1998 [#1062]. Photos in Bamboos of India, l.c., 1998 (culms) [#1062]; HHK.

Uses: Shoots for food, of sweet taste; culms for construction, furniture, basketry, plant support.