Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Nees
Gramineae
Distribution From the foothills of the Himalayas (Nepal) to the northern part of Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam. For map click: Map515.TIF.
Uses Culms are used for temporary constructions (houses, bridges) and various household utensils; split culms for making baskets and mats. Young shoots are widely consumed as a vegetable. The leaves are used as fodder.
Observations Large bamboo. Culm up to 25 m tall, diameter 10-20 cm, relatively thick-walled, greyish-white when young, becoming green at maturity. Culm sheath usually glabrous, with truncate top; blade ovate to lanceolate; auricles small, without bristles. Leaf blade 20-30 cm x 4-6 cm; ligule conspicuous; auricles not present. Inflorescence a large leafless branch, with ovoid pseudospikelets, arranged in semi-globular heads at the nodes. Growing wild in mixed forest, often cultivated in villages. D. hamiltonii is easily propagated by culm or branch cuttings. Seed is often available after sporadic flowering. Because of its edible young shoots, D. hamiltonii is potentially of interest for other South-East Asian countries.