Chimonobambusa szechuanensis
Chimonobambusa szechuanensis (Rendle) Keng f., Techn. Bull. Nat. For. Res. Bur. China No. 8 (Prelim. Stud. Chin. Bamb.), 1948: 15.
Synonyms: Arundinaria szechuanensis Rendle; Oreocalamus szechuanensis (Rendle) Keng.
Thai name: No known records.
Chinese name: 八月竹 (bā yuè zhú).
Distribution: CHINA (South): Sichuan, Guizhou.
Descriptions:
(1) "Habit: Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; 300-400 cm long; 10-20 mm diam.; woody; with root thorns from the nodes. Culm-internodes channelled; 18-22 cm long; smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes flush with internodes; pubescent. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three; in a horizontal line; with subequal branches; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths tardily deciduous; chartaceous; green; concolorous; glabrous; hairy on margins; without auricles; glabrous on shoulders. Culm-sheath ligule 0.5-1 mm high; entire. Culm-sheath blade linear; erect; 0.3-0.5 cm long. Leaves cauline; 1-3 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose; 3-5 mm long; pale. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base cuneate; with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate, or oblong; 18-20 cm long; 12-15 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 8-12 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex caudate. … [flowers and seeds described]." — KewScience Plants of the World Online, accessed 8 July 2020.
(2) T. H. Wen, J. Amer. Bamboo Soc. 11 (1-2), 1994: p. 45 [#1176].
(3) Flora of China [#1303].
Images: Line drawing in Flora of China [#1303]. Photo of a herbarium specimen at Kew Herbarium (flowering branches, leaves) [#1333].
Specimens: BS-0646 [-], BS-0646-1 [-] (seeds). The seeds from FMXG, Yunnan, China, as "Chimonobambusa szechuanensis, 八月竹 (bā yuè zhú); collected early May 2011, and received 19 May 2011 (BS-0646); collected June 2011, and received 21 June 2011; collected late April 2012, and received 7 May 2012 (BS-0646-1); collected Apr. 2013, but were not received.
Seed viability: Rather short, 2–3 weeks under normal atmospheric conditions, or 1–2 months under very low temperatures above freezing point. Seeds need to be stored in humid conditions and should not dry out. If affected by mold, a fungicide solution treatment prior to sowing is needed (e.g., 5 g Carbendazim in 2 l water, seeds to be soaked for 1–2 hours). — acc. FMXG.
Seed weight: 10 g ≈ 20–30 humid husk-wrapped seeds.
Seed germination: Over 100 seeds set on different growth media, atmospheric humidity >70%, 19 May 2011 (BS-0646), and 8 May 2012 (BS-0646-1). None of the seeds germinated.
Chimonobambusa szechuanensis (BS-0646): Seeds, humid, with their husks