Gigantochloa thoi

Distribution: THAILAND: This species is supposed to occur in Thailand, but records are not known. — MALAYSIA (Peninsular), only known in cultivation. — INDONESIA: Sumatra. — MYANMAR: Supposed to occur in Myanmar, but records are not known.

Descriptions:

(1) K. M. Wong, in Sandakania 1, 1992: 18, as "thoii".

(2) K. M. Wong, Bamboos of Peninsular Malaysia, 1995: p. 140-142, fig. 79, as "thoii" [#1210].

(3) "Densely tufted, sympodial bamboo. Culm erect, up to 16 m tall, diameter up to 12 cm, plain green; internodes copiously white-waxy, scantily dark-brown hairy at the upper part; nodes not conspicuously swollen. Branches at each midculm node arising from a single bud consisting of a dominant primary branch, with (usually) one subdominant secondary branch from its base on each side, and several lesser leafy branchlets from the base of secondary branches. Culm sheath pale to medium green, with dark brown hairs on the back; blade broadly lanceolate, green, spreading to reflexed; ligule lacerate, the base 2–4 mm long, the lacerations 5–18 mm long; auricles large lobes to 10 mm long, with bristles 10–18 mm long on the margin, dark green to purplish-green. Leaf blade 8–32 cm × 2–6cm, lower surface softly pale-hairy; ligule shortly toothed, 0.5–1.5 mm long; auricles small lobes, with fine bristles to 4 mm long on the margin. … [flowers described, seeds unknown]." — K. M. Wong in S. Dransfield & E. A. Widjaja (eds.), Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 7, Bamboos, 1995: p. 123-124, fig., as "thoii" [#1226].

(4) "… Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 1000–1600 cm long; 90–120 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow; 35–45 cm long; glaucous; distally pruinose and hispid. Lateral branches dendroid. Culm-sheaths deciduous but leaving a persistent girdle; green; hispid; with dark brown hairs; auriculate; with 6–10 mm high auricles; setose on shoulders; shoulders with 10–18 mm long hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 7–22 mm high; fimbriate. Culm-sheath blade lanceolate; spreading, or reflexed. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 4 mm long. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate; 0.5–1 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; erose. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 8–32 cm long; 20–60 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy abaxially … [flowers and seeds described]." — Kew GrassBase [#1335].

Comments: Gigantochloa thoi is similar to Gigantochloa levis (and was misidentified as Gigantochloa levis till 1992), and it also resembles Dendrocalamus asper. Gigantochloa thoi might be a native of Myanmar or Thailand, but no evidence was found that this bamboo exists there. (proseanet.org).