GIGANTOCHLOA BALUI

Description

From Bamboos of Thailand, Native and Introduced Species (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) — An Annotated Compilation, by D. Ohrnberger (Khun Dieter – คุณดีเท่อร์)

"Densely tufted sympodial bamboo. Culm erect, slightly arching outwards, up to 12 m tall, diameter 3–8 cm near the base, plain green or white or pale yellow stripes at the base; internodes non-waxy, up to 40 cm long, covered with appressed pale silver hairs; nodes not conspicuously swollen. Branch complement at each midculm node arising from a single bud, consisting of a dominant primary branch, 1–2 subdominant branches from its base and several lesser branchlets of higher orders. Culm sheath pale green, sometimes with faint yellow stripes, covered with appressed pale silver hairs; blade broadly triangular on lower sheaths, green or sometimes flushed purple, spreading to reflexed; ligule lacerate, the base 1–3 mm long, the lacerations to 4 mm long; auricles low and rimlike, up to about 2.5 mm tall, glabrous, dark green to dark purple. Leaf blade 20–35 cm × 2–4 cm, lower surface slightly glaucous and hairy; ligule a low glabrous rim to c. 1 mm long; auricles small rounded glabrous lobes to c. 1 mm long … [flowers described, seeds unknown]". — K. M. Wong in S. Dransfield & E. A. Widjaja (eds.), Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 7, Bamboos, 1995: p. 106-107, fig. [#1226].

Origin

THAILAND (South): occurs wild in the lowlands, on river banks, secondary forests, and disturbed areas, at 50–100 m altitude. — MALAYSIA (Peninsular): Kedah, wild and rare; (Borneo): Sabah, Sarawak, only in cultivation. — INDONESIA: Java, West Kalimantan, cultivated. — BRUNEI, cultivated. — N. Bystriakova & al., Bamboo Biodiversity, 2003: map 33 [#1342].

Uses

Culms for walls, flooring, basketry, fishing stakes, sailing masts, framing; internodes for handicrafts and as cooking vessels. Shoots edible.

References

Bibliography of Bamboos of Thailand