BAMBOOS OF INDI A

Bamboos of India
pairs paleas, about as long, narrow, two-keeled, minutely scabrous, ciliate on the keels, bimucronate at the apex. Lodicules
ovate-lanceolate, unequal, emarginate or bifid, ciliate, 3-7-nerved. Stamens exserted; filaments long, 4-4.5 cm; anthers
1 cm long; ovary ovoid, stipitate, glabrous; styles 2.5-3 cm long, stigmas 3, plumose.
FLOWERING
Reported flowering cycle in the species is 120 years. Flowering is reported from Sikkim for the first time in 1968
(Majumdar et al., 1985). Gregarious flowering was observed in 1961 from Soviet sub-tropics.
DISTRIBUTION
The species is a native of China and Japan. Introduced to Assam and Himachal Pradesh. It is cultivated in Darjeeling
and Dehra Dun.
CHEMISTRY
Laboratory pulping test using 30-50 per cent
sodium xylene sulphonate as pulping agent, gave
41.6 per cent unbleached and 39.5 per cent
bleached pulp. The cellulose content of the
unbleached pulp was 93.6 per cent and that of
bleached 92.5 per cent.
SILVICULTURE
line 67
Observations on growth showed that short
slender culms originate before flowering at the
base of tall culms, emergence of these culms are
not seasonal. Soon after flowering, the tall culms
and rhizomes die and short slender culms grow
from nodes of dead rhizomes. They bear bottleshaped
leaves or no leaves at all and seem to die
gradually. The next set of short slender culm start
the new generation. They have large leaves and
no flower. Gradually the culms grow and attain
normal size and shape. Propagation by tissue
culture has been attempted from nodes, stem and
leaves and root induction was obtained (Zamora,
1994).
USES
Young shoots are edible. In China, the roots are
considered as a tonic. The oral administration
of the extract of culms has been reported to
produce rapid hyperglycemia in rabbits.
➤
Fig. 67. P. bambusoides. A - flowering branch; B - culm-sheath;
C - spikelet; D - flowering glume; E - palea; F - lodicules; G - stamen;
H - pistil.
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