BAMBUSA MALINGENSIS

Description

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

"Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 1050 cm long; 59 mm diam.; woody; without nodal roots, or with root thorns from the nodes. Culm-internodes terete; with small lumen; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes flush with internodes. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several. Culm-sheaths deciduous; glabrous; truncate at apex; auriculate; with unequal auricles; setose on shoulders; shoulders with straight hairs. Culm-sheath ligule 3–4 mm high; dentate and ciliolate. Culm-sheath blade triangular; deciduous; erect. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate. Inflorescence: Flowering specimens unknown." — Kew GrassBase, accessed 13 Aug. 2020 [#1335].

Characteristics: Culm-internodes initially thinly farinose, thick-walled. Branches several, from about the second node up; branchlets on the lower branches usually form weak or sometimes sharp, tough thorns. Foliage-leaf blades small.

Origin

THAILAND: introduced, in cultivation, rare. — CHINA (South): Hainan, native, open fields on hills; cultivated in Guangdong.

Uses

Culms for light construction and handicrafts; plants for hedges, screening, and windbreaks.

Cultivation

Easy and vigorously growing, produces a large number of culms annually; in part shade to full sun, best on 5.5–6.5 pH soils, sandy loam to clay loam, normal moisture-retentive to moist with good drainage; medium water needs. Tolerates (dry) heat and humidity, sheltered seashore sites, and wind; said to be tolerant to salt-laden wind, and assumed to be tolerant to soils of low salinity.

References

Bibliography of Bamboos of Thailand