Bambusa marginata

Specimen: BS-0943 [-], seeds, collected in June 2019, from flowering plants grown in the lower eastern central area of Myanmar, received from ธ. บ. as "Bambusa marginata", Burmese name "wa thabut", 6 Aug. 2019.

Seed viability: Unknown, possibly rather short.

Seed weight: 47 seeds weigh 11.82 g → 1 seed, average weight ≈ 0.25 g, the actual weight of big seeds: 0.35 g.

Seed germination: 47 dried seeds soaked in water for a few hours and placed in moistened coir dust 100%, and in 2 further different types of media, 6 Aug. 2019, atmospheric humidity >70%, none of the seeds germinated during a 2-month observation.

Comments:

(1) The seeds, caryopses with persistent, elongated styles, resemble those of Schizostachyum and Ochlandra species of subtribe Melocanninae, and do not belong to the core group of Bambusa.

(2) It is expected that a branching type with a dominant branch is present in Bambusa species and that auricles occur. In the description of Bambusa marginata by Munro, the presence of a dominant branch is not mentioned (which would be an easily observable feature), and it is stated that auricles are absent. Therefore, it is at least questionable whether B. marginata is a true Bambusa species.

(3) The following indications suggest that this bamboo is not a true Bambusa: The lack of auricles, the lack of a dominant branch, the presence of a scandent habit, the transfer to Dinochloa by Brandis, and the morphology of the seeds.

(4) It was hoped later to obtain a seedling of this bamboo from the place where it flowered and developed seeds. Unfortunately, this hope was not fulfilled, so it remains untested whether its properties match the description of B. marginata.

(5) Unfortunately, none of the seeds received in June 2019 have germinated.