Bambusa bambos, the giant thorny bamboo, Indian thorny bamboo, spiny bamboo, or thorny bamboo (but see Bambusa spinosa)[2][3][4] is a species of clumping bamboo native to southern Asia (India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indochina). It is also naturalized in Seychelles, Central America, West Indies, Java, Malaysia, Maluku, and the Philippines.[5][6]
| Bambusa bambos | |
|---|---|
| |
| In the botanical gardens of Kerala Forest Research Institute, Veluppadam, Kerala, India | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Bambusa |
| Species: | B. bambos
|
| Binomial name | |
| Bambusa bambos | |
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Habit
editIt is a tall, bright-green colored spiny bamboo species, which grows in thickets consisting of a large number of heavily branched, closely growing culms. It reaches a height of 10–35 m and grows naturally in the forests of the dry zones.
Appearance
editCulms are not straight, but are armed with stout, curved spines. They are bright green, becoming brownish green when drying, and the young shoots are deep purple. Branches spread out from the base. Aerial roots reach up to few nodes above. Internode length is 15–46 cm, and diameter is 3.0–20 cm. Culm walls are 2.5–5.0 cm thick. Nodes are prominent and rootstock is stout.
Culm sheaths are dark brown when mature, elongated, and cylindrical. Length of the sheath proper is 15–25 cm and 12–30 cm in width. Blade length is 4.0–12 cm. Auricles are not prominent. Upper surfaces of the sheath are covered with blackish-brown hairs. Lower surfaces of the sheath are not hairy. Sheaths fall early.
Uses
editThey are extensively used in many applications, mainly for making bridges and for ladders. Leaves are used for thatching.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss". The Plant List, RBG Kew. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
- ^ "Giant thorny bamboo (Bambusa bambos) | Feedipedia".
- ^ Rojas-Sandoval, J. (2022). "Bambusa bambos (giant thorny bamboo)". CABI Compendium. CABI Compendium: 8399. doi:10.1079/cabicompendium.8399.
- ^ "Indian Thorny Bamboo - Encyclopedia of Life".
- ^ "Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
- ^ Ohrnberger, Dieter (1999). The bamboos of the world: annotated nomenclature and literature of the species and the higher and lower taxa. Elsevier. p. 255. ISBN 978-0-444-50020-5.
Bibliography
edit
- Fern, Ken. "Bambusa bambos". Useful Tropical Plants. January 1, 2016.