Yushania Keng f.
Gramineae
Major species and synonyms
-Yushania niitakayamensis (Hayata) Keng f. Synonym: Arundinaria niitakayamensis Hayata.
-Yushania tessellata (Holttum) S. Dransf. Synonym: Racemobambos tessellata Holttum.
Vernacular names
-Y. niitakayamensis: Philippines: utod (Igorot).
Distribution
Y. niitakayamensis is native in Taiwan and Luzon (the Philippines). For map click: Map299.TIF; Y. tessellata is endemic in Sabah (Mt. Kinabalu, Bukit Ampuan, and Melingan)(Malaysia). For map click: Map01.TIF.
Uses
Y. niitakayamensis is planted for erosion control. Both species are or are potentially useful ornamental plants.
Observations
Sympodial, open tufted bamboos, with long-necked rhizomes. Culms erect, 1.6-5 m tall, diameter 3-15 mm, walls relatively thin; internodes 30-40 cm long; nodes with prominent supranodal ridge bearing few to several spine-like aerial roots below. Branches two to several at each node. Inflorescences semelauctant, paniculate, terminating leafy branches; spikelets with 4-10 florets. In Luzon (the Philippines), Y. niitakayamensis, a small erect bamboo up to 1.6 m tall, grows gregariously in open grassland and mossy forest at 2100-2800 m altitude. In Sabah, Y. tessellata grows in mountain forest at 1500-1800 m altitude.