Dendrocalamus asper
| Dendrocalamus asper | |
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| The bamboo garden of Kerala Forest Research Institute at Palappilli, Thrissur district, Kerala | |
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| Species: | D. asper
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| Binomial name | |
| Dendrocalamus asper (Schult.) Backer
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Dendrocalamus asper, also known as giant bamboo, or dragon bamboo (in China), is a giant tropical, dense-clumping species native to Southeast Asia. Due to its common occurrence across Asia and its attractive features, this species has been introduced widely across Latin America and Africa. It is a sympodial or clumping bamboo that does not show lateral growth and therefore has no invasive properties.
This bamboo variety of the Dendrocalamus genus grows 15–20 m tall, and 8–12 cm in diameter. It is found commonly in India, Sri Lanka, Southwest China and Southeast Asia.[1]
This timber bamboo has traditionally used as a building material for heavy construction due to the fact that its culms are large diameter and very straight, and its young shoots are consumed as a vegetable.[2]
Culms of Dendrocalamus asper bamboo are greyish green, becoming dull brown on drying. Lower nodes of young culms are covered with golden brown hairs which are the most easily distinguishing factor of the species. Young shoots are brownish black. Internode length is 25–60 cm, diameter 3.5–15 cm. The culm walls are generally very thick but also show great variation in this thickness. The nodes are prominent. The culm sheath is straw-colored and appear large, and broad; the top of the sheath is rounded, and auricles are small. The upper surface is covered with golden brown hairs. The under surface is not hairy. Sheaths fall off early.
This species flowers intermittently, with flowering events occurring at time intervals greater than 60 years. The seed is very fragile and seedlings have a high mortality rate requiring considerable care and controlled environments in their first few weeks of growth.
References
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