BAMBOOS OF INDI A

Sinarundinaria
ANATOMY
Leaf epidermis has short cells in rows of three to five cells in both surfaces. Shape of silica bodies generally Oryza type,
but intermediate shapes between cross and dumbbell seen in the adaxial (costal) region. Bulliform cells, arm cells, micro
hairs, macrohairs and prickles are present. Microhairs panicoid type (Sharma et al., 1986).
USES
In Sikkim, this species is used for fencing, panels, thatching, mats, flag poles, and water pipes. Leaves are used as fodder.
Young shoots are edible. The seeds of this species are cooked like rice or used for the preparation of beer (Holstrom,
1993).
Sinarundinaria intermedia
Sinarundinaria intermedia (Munro) Chao & Renv. Kew Bull. 44: 357.1989. (Fig. 98).
Arundinaria intermedia Munro, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 26: 30. 1868; Gamble, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 7: 15.
1896, in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 381. 1897, Kew Bull. No.3: 135. 1912; Camus, Les Bambusees 39. 1913; Blatter, J.
Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 33: 902. 1930. Chimonobambusa intermedia (Munro) Nakai, J. Arn. Arb. 6: 151. 1925; Varmah
and Bahadur, Indian For. Rec. (n.s.) Bot. 6(1): 2. 1980. Drepanostachyum intermedium (Munro) Keng, J. Bamboo Res.
2(1): 18. 1983; Tewari, Monogr. Bamboo 87.1992.
VERNACULAR NAMES
Lepcha - Purmiok, Purmiak, Purmak, Permyok, Parmiok, Prongnok, Purmia; Nepal - Tite, Titi, Titay, Ningalo, Nigalai,
Lushai-Lik.
DESCRIPTION
A thin caespitose shrubby bamboo. Culms ca. 4 m high, ca. 1.2 cm diameter, smooth, grayish green; internode ca. 25 cm
long; node swollen with a prominent ring and a whitish line below; branchlets many from the node, fasciculate.
Culm-sheaths ca. 21 cm long and 4 cm broad, glabrous, papery, strongly striate, broader at the base, tapering to a
truncate tip; imperfect blade ca.4 cm long, narrow, subulate, recurved; ligule ca. 5 mm long, blunt. Leaves ca. 15 cm
long and 1.5 cm broad, linear-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, scabrous, attenuate at the base into ca. 5 mm long
petiole, acuminate above in a setaceous point; midrib prominent; secondary veins 4 pairs; intermediate veins 6; transverse
veinlets inconspicuous; leaf sheath striate, yellowish, hairy; callus ciliolate; auricles with long brownish-yellow bristles;
ligule obtuse or triangular. Inflorescence a racemose panicle on leafless branches; spikelets ca. 2.5 cm long, yellowish,
3-5-flowered, upper flower imperfect; rachilla clavate, hairy; empty glumes 2, ovate, membranous, ciliate at the tip,
outer glume ca. 4 mm long and 1.5 mm broad and 5-nerved, inner glume ca. 7 mm long and 2 mm broad, 7-nerved;
lemma 9 mm long and 3 mm broad, ovate, mucronate, scabrous, 9-nerved; palea 2-keeled, lodicule 3, ovate, 3-7 nerved,
margin fimbriate. Stamens 3; anthers ca. 3 mm long, basifixed; filaments short. Ovary ca. 1.5 mm long, oblong; style
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