Food Plants International

262
Names
English: New Guinea Edible Bamboo Scientific name: Nastus elatus Holtumm
Tok pisin: Mambu Synonyms:
Tok ples: Plant family: Poaceae
Description: A large bamboo with stalks 20 m long
and 5 -6 cm across. The leaves are fine and narrow. It
produces large clumps.
Distribution: It grows in the highlands between about
1200 m and 1900 m altitude. It only occurs in PNG.
Clumps are planted near highland houses.
Cultivation: It is planted by dividing an old clump and
planting the shoots. It can also be grown from cuttings.
Production: New shoots are produced throughout the year.
Use: The pith in the centre of young shoots is eaten after cooking.
Food Value: Per 100 g edible portion
Edible Moisture Energy Protein
part
Shoots
% KJ g
Calcium
mg
Iron
mg
proVit A
µg
proVit C
mg
Insects:
Apirocalus cornutus Pasc. Curculionidae (COL) Horned weevil
Locusta migratoria (L.) Acrididae (ORTH) Migratory locust
Diseases:
Leaf blotch Fungus Trematosphaerella bambusae (Miyake & Hara) Hino & Katumoto
Pests:
Importance: In Papua New Guinea, most highland families maintain at least one clump to use as
containers and they eat surplus shoots.
Zinc
mg