Fargesia murielae
Fargesia murielae (Gamble) T. P. Yi, J. Bamboo Res. 2 (1), 1983: 39.
Synonyms: Arundinaria murielae Gamble; Sinarundinaria murielae (Gamble) Nakai; Thamnocalamus murielae (Gamble) Demoly; Arundinaria sparsiflora Rendle; Sinarundinaria sparsiflora (Rendle) Keng f.; Fargesia sparsiflora (Rendle) Ohrnb.; Fargesia parvifolia T. P. Yi; Fargesia maluo T. P. Yi.
Thai name: No known records.
Chinese name: 神农箭竹 (shén nóng jiàn zhú).
English name: Umbrella Bamboo.
Distribution: THAILAND: Introduced, but there is a strong suspicion that this species has not been successfully established in cultivation in Thailand. — CHINA (Central): Hubei; (South): Sichuan; at 2,800–3,000 m altitude.
Description: "Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 200-400 cm long; 7-10 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; 20 cm long. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; in a horizontal line; with subequal branches; thinner than stem. Culm-sheaths 10-12 cm long; hairy on margins. Culm-sheath blade linear; reflexed; 4-6 cm long. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty; deciduous. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole 0.3-0.4 cm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 7-12 cm long; 10-15 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 8-10 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate. … [flowers and seeds described]." — KewScience Plants of the World Online, accessed 10 July 2020.
Images: Line drawing in Flora of China [#1303].
Flowering cycle: 35, 80–100, 110 years [#1320].
Specimen: BS-0771 [SSG] (living plants), raised from seeds. The seeds from B. G., Oregon, USA, cult., as "Fargesia murielae", received 1 Feb. 2013.
Seed viability: Unknown, viability is assumed to last longer than 1 year.
Seed weight: 1.0 g ≈ 70–80 dried spikelets (husk-wrapped seeds).
Seed germination: Seed laid on moistened tissue paper, 2nd February 2013, 30–35 °C day temperature, diffuse light, 17–23 °C night temperature, atmospheric humidity >70%, coleoptiles emerged after 12 days, germination rate moderate (40-60%).
Comments:
(1) In Thailand, Fargesia seedlings have turned out to be difficult to get established at elevations below 500 meters. They might thrive well in the tropics and subtropics on specific sites at elevations of 800 meters and above.
(2) The seedlings were distributed in northern Thailand, but the current locations of the cultivated plants are unknown.
Fargesia murielae (BS-0771): Seeds (left); germinating seed, 14th day (right)