Dendrocalamus asper

Synonyms: Bambusa aspera Schult. f., Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis, 7 (2), 1830: 1352; Dendrocalamus flagellifer Munro, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 26 (1), 1868: 150.

Thai name: ไผ่ตง (phai tong).

Malay name: buluh betung.

Indonesian name: bambu betung.

English name: Rough Giant Bamboo.

Distribution: Origin unknown, possibly Indonesia, Malaysia, or Thailand; known only in cultivation, and from naturalized populations arising from abandoned cultivation. — THAILAND: cultivated throughout, chiefly grown in Prachin Buri Province; may have widely become naturalized since gregarious flowering in the 1990s; naturalized populations from abandoned cultivation in early times found in Khlong Phanom National Park of southern Thailand in 1991; large naturalized populations exist also in the provinces of Prachin Buri and Nakhon Nayok (with a maximum culm diameter of 23 cm), and plants there were possibly introduced by Chinese immigrants around 1900-1910, who established plantations (A. Anantachot, 1991: p. 48 [#1041]). — MALAYSIA: widely cultivated, perhaps native. — INDONESIA, throughout. — MYANMAR. — INDIA (North-East): North Cachar Hills of Assam, wild and cultivated [#1287]. — BANGLADESH. — CHINA (South). — LAOS. — VIETNAM. — PHILIPPINES. — Cultivated throughout tropical Asia, from lowlands up to about 1,500 m altitude. — N. Bystriakova & al., Bamboo Biodiversity, 2003: map 21 [#1342].

Culm size: Height 10–20 (30) m, diameter 8–20 (25) cm.

Descriptions:

(1) "Culms 15–20 m, 6–10(–12) cm in diam.; internodes 30–50 cm. Branches from ca. 9th node up, central branch dominant. Culm sheaths deciduous, initially light green, leathery, apex rounded; ligule 7–10 mm, margin with brown setae; auricles linear, ca. 20 × 7 mm, margin undulate; oral setae present; blade reflexed, lanceolate. Leaf sheaths initially sparsely hairy, becoming glabrous; ligule truncate, ca. 2 mm, entire or serrulate; blade variable, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, (10–)20–30(–35) × (1.5–)3–5 cm. … [flowers described]. Fruit unknown." — Flora of China [#1303].

(2) "… caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 1500–2000 cm long; 120 mm diam.; woody; with aerial roots from the nodes. Culm-internodes terete; 40–50 cm long; distally pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Buds or branches present on lower quarter of culm. Culm-sheaths deciduous; 40–50 cm long; pale green; pubescent; with dark brown hairs; auriculate; with 7 mm high auricles; ciliate on shoulders; shoulders with 5 mm long hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 7–10 mm high; fimbriate. Culm-sheath blade linear; narrower than sheath; reflexed; 25 cm long; 35 mm wide; acuminate. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 2 mm long; entire, or erose. Leaf-blade base cuneate; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–30 cm long; 10–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate. … [flowers and seeds described]." — Kew GrassBase [#1335].

(3) S. Dransfield & E. A. Widjaja in S. Dransfield & E. A. Widjaja (eds.), Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 7, Bamboos, 1995: p. 80-83, fig. [#1226].

(4) K. M. Wong, Bamboos of Peninsular Malaysia, 1995: p. 107-109, fig. 51 [#1210]. (5) PROTA, Wageningen Univ., accessed 27 Oct. 2017 [#1244]. (6) E. A. Widjaja, Spect. Indones. Bamboos, 2019: p. 72-75 [#1279].

Images: Line drawing in Flora of China [#1303]. Photos in AsianFlora (culms) [#1332]; photos in K. M. Wong, Bamboo - The Amazing Grass, 2004: fig. 26 (branch), fig. 46 (culm) [#1048]; photos in PROTA; E. A. Widjaja, l.c., 2019 (habit, culms, flowers, seedling).

Characteristics: Culms trumpet-shaped, with the lowest diameter thicker than from breast height up. Young shoots with ivory-white culm leaf sheaths. Culm-internodes of the lower culm completely covered with velvety greenish hairs to brownish hairs. Culm-nodes of basal culm with abundant aerial roots. Culm-leaf auricles large, bristly; culm-leaf ligule with irregular coarse divisions or clefts; culm-leaf blade dark purplish-green when young.

Uses: Shoots for food (shoot production in Thailand is of economic importance). Culms are used for con­struction (mainly for pillars and roof beams) and scaffolding, big-sized furniture, laminated panels and ply bamboo (bamboo plywood), paper pulp, for making chopsticks and toothpicks, and for musical instruments (for bass sounds).

Flowering and seeding: Flowers and seeds are known. Post and photos of flowering Dendrocalamus asper from Nan Province, northern Thailand, by Thoop Nakasen on Facebook, 26 Mar. 2014.

Flowering cycle: 100–120 years. Widespread gregarious flowering occurred in Thailand in the 1990s.

Seed weight: ≈75,000–80,000 seeds/kg → ≈75–80 seeds/g [#1302].

Seed viability: Three months under normal atmospheric conditions; one year in storage at 1–6 °C.

Thai name: ไผ่เฉียงรุน (phai chiang run).

Distribution: THAI­LAND (South): Provinces of Surat Thani and Phang Nga: confined to Khlong Phanom National Park (อุทยานแห่งชาติคลองพนม), at (200) 400–500 m altitude, naturalized, having derived from cultivated plants a long time ago, occurs in primary forest (evergreen rain forest) in pure stands (not found mixed with other bamboos).

Culm size: Height 30–40 m, diameter 19–25 cm. The recorded maximum size might refer to the culm length (not the plant height) and basal culm diameter rather than the diameter at breast height.

Images: Photos from STKC [#1155].

Uses: Shoots for food, culms for construction.

Comments: Said to be the tallest bamboo species ever found in Thailand.

References: STKC [#1155]; STKC [#1156]; Kew Herbarium [#1333].

Comments:

(1) There are 5 clones, derived from the countrywide ไผ่ตงเขียว (phai tong khiao) ["pai tong keaw"] gregarious flowering in the 1990s, which were tested and selected by the มหาวิทยาลัยเทคโนโลยีสุรนารี, Suranari University of Technology (SUT), Nakhon Ratchasima, as for their outstanding shoot characteristics (good taste, large shoots, and a high number of shoots):

1. 5AS1: ไผ่ตง 5AS1 (phai tong 5AS1);

2. A11: ไผ่ตง A11 (phai tong A11);

3. S85: ไผ่ตง S85 (phai tong S85);

4. Boonchuay: ไผ่ตง บูญช่วย (BC) (phai tong bun chuai (BC));

5. Kanong: ไผ่ตง คะนอง (KN) (phai tong khanong (KN)).

(2) Apparently, none of those clones have been marketed under their clone names, and their whereabouts remain unclear. It is said that those clones can be found offered for sale in plant nurseries in Prachin Buri and Nakhon Nayok provinces, and supposedly they were mixed up and sold under the name ไผ่ตงศรีปราจีน (phai tong si prachin) (see below).

Thai name: ไผ่ไจแอ้นท์ (phai chai-aen), which is a phonetic transcription of the English word "giant".

Culm size: Height over 20 m, diameter over 20 cm.

Images: Photo from Siambamboo; post with photos by Boonthammee Bamboo Garden on Facebook, 24 Nov. 2015.

Specimens: BS-0181 [-], BS-0229 [BBG], BS-0229-1 [-] (living plants).

Characteristics: Culms a little smaller in diameter, green to dark green, smooth. Young shoots emerge one month earlier than phai tong dam, of various diameters but most productive; flesh yellowish-white, of sweet taste with a slightly bitter taste. Culm-internodes thin-walled, not strong. Foliage-leaf blades somewhat smaller and thinner, dark green.

Uses: Shoots for food.

Comments: The phai tong khiao strain flowered in Prachin Buri Province (and elsewhere in Thailand) from 1994 to 1996 (1998); a few clumps survived. The new generation is a shoot production variety well adapted to sandy loam soils, and to insufficient water supply and low air moisture content during the dry season.

Thai name: ไผ่ตงศรีปราจีน (phai tong si prachin).

Distribution: Cultivated in Prachin Buri Province, distributed throughout Thailand, chiefly to the North and North-East.

Characteristics: Culms somewhat smaller in height than phai tong dam and phai tong khiao, weak, and easy to bend and break. Young shoots emerge green, weight 1–4 kg. Culm-internodes dark green, glabrous, shiny, thin-walled. Branches many, from the lower culm up to the apex. Foliage-leaf blades somewhat small, darker green than in other varieties.

Thai names: ไผ่ตงหม้อ (phai tong mo), ไผ่ตงใหญ่ (phai tong yai); transcription variant of หม้อ (mo) is "mor"; [mo = pot; yai = big, large].

Characteristics: Habit: Clump more open. Culms to 30 m tall or taller, by 20–30 cm in diameter; lower culms with only a few branches. Young shoots big, weight can be 5–8 (10) kg. Foliage-leaf blades comparatively small.

Uses: Shoots for food; not frequently planted.

Comments: A variety with the tallest and biggest culms; distinguishing characteristics from cl. Chiang Run and cl. Giant are unclear.

Thai names: ไผ่ตงหนู (phai tong nu), ไผ่ตงเล็ก (phai tong lek), ไผ่ตงหมู (phai tong mu).

Distribution: Northern Thailand, mainly but infrequently planted in Lampang and Chiang Mai provinces.

Culm size: Height 8 m, diameter 3–5 (6) cm.

Characteristics: Similar to phai tong dam ('Thai Black Shoot') but culms smaller in size; young shoots smaller, weight 1–3 kg.

Comments: A variety not much appreciated, seldom planted, and difficult to find as it is rarely offered for sale by any nursery.

Thai name: ไผ่ตงลาย (phai tong lai) (A. Anantachot, 1991: p. 47-48 [#1041]).

Distribution: Thailand, cultivated.

Culm size: no known records.

Characteristics: no known records.

Comments: ลาย (lai) translated means stripe or striped, hence it likely refers to a variety with a striped stem or striped leaves.

Thai name: ไผ่ตงดำบาหลี (phai tong dam bali).

Indonesian name: betung hitam; Indonesian "betung" means large, and "hitam" means black. Occasionally, the spelling "petung hitam" is found. "Petung" is both, Javanese (Romanized from Javanese script), and Buginese (spoken in Sulawesi/Celebes) (Romanized from Lontara script).

English name: Bali Black Asper Bamboo.

Distribution: THAILAND, in cultivation; first introduced into Thailand from Hawaii (U.S.A.) in 2009, and from Florida and California (U.S.A.) in 2010. The origin of this cultivar is Bali, Indonesia.

Culm size: Height 25 (30?) m, diameter 20 cm.

Images: Photos in Bambooweb.info [#1340]; in BambooDownUnder (culms).

Thai name: ไผ่ตงด่างทองเขาหลวง (phai tong dang thong khao luang).

Distribution: THAILAND, in cultivation, originates from เขาหลวง จ. นครศรีธรรมราช (Khao Luang, a mountain range in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province).

Characteristics: Culms assumed to be less tall. Culm-internodes yellow with green stripes of different widths. Foliage-leaf blades with green and yellow stripes of different widths.

Uses: Ornamental bamboo, for landscaping.

References: Post incl. photos by Preedee Pitak as "ตงด่างทอง (tong dang thong)" under comments on Facebook, 20 July 2021.

Thai name: None.

Indonesian names: Bambu betung (Bahasa Indonesia), awi bitung (Sundanese), deling petung (Javanese), buluh batung (Batak), buloh betong, buloh panching, pring petung.

Distribution: INDONESIA: in Java, Bali, and on most major islands. THAILAND: might have been introduced by mid-2011.

Culm size: Height 18–30 m, diameter 15–20 (30) cm.

Images: Photos in BambooLand (culms of an Indonesian plant, not cl. Nusa Verde).

Characteristics: Culms erect with pendulous tips. Branches few. Foliage-leaf blades 30 cm long. — It is said that Thai and Indonesian plants of Dendrocalamus asper differ markedly.

Uses: Culms chiefly for construction purposes, also for furniture and musical instruments; shoots for food.

Cultivation requirements: Easy and fast-growing; in full sun, but might grow even taller and better in association with trees or as poor bamboo forest, soil sandy loam to clay loam, normal moisture-retentive to moist with good drainage. Recorded to be cold-tolerant to –5 °C. Does not prefer dry conditions.

Comments:

(1) The Nusa Verde clone is definitely of Indonesian origin and propagated through tissue culture by Bambu Nusa Verde, Java, Indonesia.

(2) There are 5 cultivars of Dendrocalamus asper recorded from Indonesia, but names are not given (E. A. Widjaja, 1998 [#1091]).

(3) Occurrence of natural hybridization with Dendrocalamus asper in Indonesia was recorded (E. A. Widjaja, 1998 [#1091]), but no gregarious or widespread flowering of this species.

Specimens: BS-0628 [BBG, SSG], BS-0628-1 [-], BS-0790 [-], BS-0825 [-] (seeds), from FMXG, Yunnan, southern China, as "Dendrocalamus asper, 马来甜龙竹 (ma lai tian long zhu)", collected 2010, Apr. 2011, Feb. 2012 (BS-0628), Mar. 2013 (BS-0628-1), Apr. 2014 (BS-0790), Mar. 2015 (BS-0825), seeds received 2010–2015, plants raised from seeds.

Specimens: BT1001, BT1003 [BBG], (seeds), received by Boonthammee Bamboo Garden, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai, from YNB, Yunnan, China, as "Dendrocalamus asper, 马来龙竹 (mǎ lái lóng zhú)", collected Mar. 2016 (BT1001), and Jan. 2017 (BT1003), plants raised from seeds.

Seed weight: 10 g ≈ 350–450 dried spikelets (husk-wrapped seeds).

Seed germination: Germination rate moderate, 35–40% (test 161014), and low, 10–15% (test 170313).

Additional information: Bamboo seeds @YunnanBambooCo on Facebook, 20 Nov. 2019, and 16 July 2019.