Gigantochloa nigrociliata
(Buse) Kurz
Black fringed giant grass
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Wikimedia Commons - Yercaud-elango
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Wikimedia Commons - Yercaud-elango
Description
A bamboo. It forms many tillers. It grows 3-12 m tall. The stems are green and can have white stripes. The joints are 25-50 cm long and 2-5 cm wide. The leaves have short distinct stalks. The leaves are narrowly sword shaped. The base is wedge shaped. The flowering shoot is large and without leaves. The flowers are in groups 2-7 cm apart.
Edible Uses
Young shoots - cooked. Somewhat bitter, they are sually eaten after being fermented in running water or river mud.
Traditional Uses
The young shoots are cooked and eaten. They are also pickled.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands and up to 600 m above sea level in Java. In southern China it grows in tropical rain forests between 500-800 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam,
Cultivation
A plant of the humid tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 1,400 metres. It is found in areas with an mean annual rainfall in excess of 3,000mm. It grows well on latosols. Bamboos have an interesting method of growth. Each plant produces a number of new stems annually - these stems grow to their maximum height in their first year of growth, subsequent growth in the stem being limited to the production of new side branches and leaves. In the case of some mature tropical species the new stem could be as much as 30 metres tall, with daily increases in height of 30cm or more during their peak growth time. This makes them some of the fastest-growing species in the world. Bamboos in general are usually monocarpic, living for many years before flowering, then flowering and seeding profusely for a period of 1 - 3 years before usually dying. Bamboos in general are usually monocarpic, living for many years before flowering, then flowering and seeding profusely for a period of 1 - 3 years before usually dying. This pattern can vary - sometimes flowering is sporadic, with plants flowering annually and not dying; at other times it is gregarious with all the plants in a specific species coming into flower at the same time. This species flowers quite often, after which the clump dies. Natural regeneration is through seed which is produced abundantly.
Other Uses
Although not long-lasting, the culms are used in the construction of rafters, fences and watch houses.The culms are split and used to make household utensils and basketry.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Nat-wa, Wa-ba, Wa-thaik, Wa-ya
References (3)
- Ghorbani, A., et al, 2012, A comparison of the wild food plant use knowledge of ethnic minorities in Naban River Watershed Nature Reserve, Yunnan, SW China. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine; 8:17
- http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/sorting/Bamboos_Edible.html
- Ochse, J.J. et al, 1931, Vegetables of the Dutch East Indies. Asher reprint. p 320
