Ferrocalamus

Ferrocalamus, or iron bamboo, is a genus of Chinese bamboo in the grass family.[1] endemic to China. The plant is known only from southern Yunnan, at elevations of 900 to 1,200 m above sea level.[2]

Iron bamboo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Bambusoideae
Tribe: Arundinarieae
Subtribe: Arundinariinae
Genus: Ferrocalamus
J.R.Xue & Keng.f.

Taxonomy

The genus Ferrocalamus is related to Indocalamus. However, Ferrocalamus is tree-like while Indocalamus is a shrub.

Description

Ferrocalamus are perennial shrubby bamboos having erect culms. The culms are about 5–9 m long with 20–50 mm diameter. The internodes are long, thick walled, with a ring of white hairs below the nodes. Culm sheaths are persistent, leathery at base, thinner at apex. The auricles are small or absent. Leaf blade is large with transverse venation. Inflorescence is a large panicle on leafy flowering branches. It has 3 stamens with free filaments. Ovary is glabrous having short styles short, with 2 stigmas. Fruit is rounded berry-like, succulent with thickened, fleshy pericarp but without hardened endocarp.[3][4]

Species
  • Ferrocalamus fibrillosus[5]
  • Ferrocalamus rimosivaginus[6][7][8]
  • Ferrocalamus strictus

Uses

In the past, the culms were commonly used for making arrows.[3]

References
  1. Xue, Ji Ru & Keng, Pai Chieh. 1982. Journal of Bamboo Research 1 (2): 3
  2. Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 135 铁竹属 tie zhu shu Ferrocalamus Hsueh & P. C. Keng, J. Bamboo Res. 1(2): 3. 1982.
  3. Li DZ, Stapleton C (2006). "Ferrocalamus". In Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds.). Flora of China. St. Louis: Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Bot. Garden Press. p. 135.
  4. Clayton WD, Vorontsova MS, Harman KT, Williamson H (2006 onwards). "World Grass Species: Descriptions, Identification, and Information Retrieval". GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora. The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. "Ferrocalamus fibrillosus".
  6. "Ferrocalamus rimosivaginus".
  7. "Ferrocalamus rimosivaginus".
  8. "Flora of China".
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