Bambusa grandis
Bambusa grandis (Q. H. Dai & X. L. Tao ex Keng f.) Ohrnb., Bamb. World Intro. 4, 1997: 18.
Synonyms: Dendrocalamopsis grandis Q. H. Dai & X. L. Tao ex Keng f.; Neosinocalamus grandis (Q. H. Dai & X. L. Tao) T. H. Wen; Sinocalamus grandis (Q. H. Dai & X. L. Tao) W. T. Lin; Dendrocalamus grandis hort.; Dendrocalamopsis daii Keng f.
Thai name: ไผ่ยอดเยี่ยม (phai yot yiam).
Chinese name: 大绿竹 (da lü zhu).
Distribution: THAILAND: introduced, in cultivation, rare. — CHINA (South): Guangxi, on river banks, near villages.
Culm size: Height 10–18 m, diameter 8–10 cm.
Descriptions:
(1) "Culms 10–15 m, 8–10 cm in diam., apically recurved; internodes 30–40 cm, basally slightly swollen, initially sparsely hispid; wall 2–2.5 cm thick; nodes flat. Branches several, central dominant. Culm sheaths deciduous, leathery, initially with dark brown, spiny hairs; auricles reflexed, linear, small; ligule 3–5 mm, serrulate; blade recurved, occasionally erect, ovate to lanceolate, base ca. 4/5 as wide as sheath apex. Leaf sheaths hirtellous; ligule truncate, 1–1.5 mm; auricles and oral setae absent; blade lanceolate, 15–20 × 3–5 cm. … [flowers described] … Caryopsis unknown. New shoots Jul–Oct." — Flora of China [#1303].
(2) Kew GrassBase [#1335].
Images: Photos in TropicalBamboo (shoot).
Specimen: BS-0458 [E2] (living plant), received from cultivated stock from the USA, June 2010.
Characteristics: Culms erect, apically bending outwards. Culm-internodes medium green, initially sparsely slightly farinose, thick-walled. Culm-nodes not or slightly prominent. Branches several, from the basal node up, initially 3 branches arise, the central one very dominant, two side branches subdominant, very long, to 5 m and longer, ascending. Culm-leaves early deciduous. Culm-leaf sheaths leathery, shorter than the internode, 25–29 cm long, ca. 15 cm wide near the base, with brownish-purplish longitudinal blotches or streaks when young; near the base with dark brown appressed hairs; apex rounded, the middle part slightly concave-depressed, with a small triangular sheath extension on each edge. Culm-leaf auricles none. Culm-leaf ligule 4–7 mm high, serrulate. Culm-leaf blade patent to reflexed, caducous, short. Foliage-leaves 6–8 per branchlet. Foliage-leaf sheaths keeled, dark hirsute or glabrous. Foliage-leaf auricles inconspicuous, callus-like; oral setae very few, short, pale, deciduous. Foliage-leaf ligule 1–1.5 mm long, subentire. Foliage-leaf blades stout, medium green, slightly glossy above, lanceolate, medium-sized, 15–20 (29) × 3–4.5 (5.5) cm, glabrous on both surfaces; margins antrorsely scabrous; base rounded to wedge-shaped; apex attenuate; midvein proximally prominent; pseudopetiole ca. 5 mm long.
Uses: Shoots delicious, used for food; culms for construction; plants for landscaping.
Cultivation requirements: Grows in full sun, sandy loam to clay loam, normal moisture-retentive to moist soil with good drainage. Tolerates flooding.
Comments:
(1) The triangular sheath extensions might be interpreted as auricles, but they are not continuous with the blade.
(2) This bamboo is commonly cultivated in the USA under the name Dendrocalamus grandis. No reference was found for a valid publication of the name Dendrocalamus grandis.
(3) The fresh culm-leaves have ornamental value, but the basal branching and, in addition, the very long branches make this bamboo hardly suitable for small gardens.
Bambusa grandis (BS-0458): Young culm with culm-leaves