Ampelocalamus patellaris

Synonyms: Dendrocalamus patellaris Gamble; Patello­calamus patellaris (Gamble) W. T. Lin; Sinocalamus patellaris (Gamble) T. Q. Nguyen; Drepano­stachyum patellaris (Gamble) J. R. Xue & D. Z. Li; Chimonobambusa jainiana C. R. Das & D. C. Pal; Sinarundinaria jainiana (C. R. Das & D. C. Pal) H. B. Naithani; Drepano­stachyum jainianum (C. R. Das & D. C. Pal) R. B. Majumdar.

Thai name: No known records.

Chinese name: 碟环竹 (die huan zhu).

Distribution: THAILAND (North): cultivated in Chiang Rai Province, rare. — CHINA (South): western Yunnan. — LAOS. — MYANMAR. — INDIA (North-East). — NEPAL. — In broad-leaved forests; at 1,000–1,800 m altitude.

Culm size: Height 6–10 m, diameter 2.5–4 (6) cm.

Descriptions:

(1) "Culms 6–10 m, 25–40(–60) mm in diam.; internodes 30–45 cm; wall thin. Branches several. Culm sheaths deciduous, leathery, abaxially striate, appressed brown setose; auricles absent; ligule fimbriate or ciliate; blade reflexed, lanceolate. Leaf sheath abaxially striate; ligule long, ciliate; blade variable in size, 19–24(–40) × 2.5–3.5(–10) cm. … [flowers and seeds described]." — Flora of China, accessed 21 Aug. 2020 [#1303].

(2) Kew GrassBase [#1335].

(3) K. K. Seethalakshmi & al., Bamboos of India, 1998: p. 122, as "Dendrocalamus patellaris" [#1062].

Images: Line drawing in Flora of China [#1303]. Photos in flickr/​karlostachys (branches); gardenbreizh.org/karlostachys (habit).

Characteristics: Culm-internodes 30–45 cm long, dark green, thin-walled. Branches several, subequal. Culm-leaves deciduous. Culm-leaf sheaths striate, sparsely appressed brown setose, long fimbriate on the middle and upper margins. Culm-leaf auricles absent. Culm-leaf blade reflexed, lanceolate. Foliage-leaf blades variable in size, 19–24 (40) cm long, 2.5–3.5 (10) cm wide.

Uses: In India, culms are used for basketry, making huts, flutes, handles, and arrowheads.