Bamboo is a group of woody perennial plants in the true grass family Poaceae. In the tribe Bambuseae, also known as bamboo, there are 91 genera and over 1,800 species. The size of bamboo varies from small annuals to giant timber bamboo. Bamboo evolved 30 to 40 million years ago, after the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.
Bamboo species can be divided into two groups: sympodial (clumping) and monopodial (running) species. Sympodial species grow from the soil in a slowly expanding tuft, while monopodial species send underground rhizomes to produce shoots several metres from the original "parent" plant.American Bamboo Society
Species
Species English name Native name Clumper/ runner/ extinct Max. height Max. diameter Brief species descriptionAcidosasaNone 酸竹属 Suān zhú shǔ Clumper 12.2 metres (40 ft) Grow in south coastal China, and have sour shoots.Acidosasa chienouensis Powdery sour bamboo 粉酸竹 Fěn suān zhú Runner Culm sheaths green, glabrous, shorter than internodes, yellow-brown to brown setoseAcidosasa edulis Sweet yellow bamboo 黄甜竹 Runner Green glabrous culms, sheath turns brown, from green. The roots are often eaten, and are said to be delicious. Actinocladum verticillatum射枝竹属 A one-member genus distributed in western South America and Brazil.Alvimia 南美梨藤竹属 Ampelocalamus 悬竹属 Ampelocalamus scandens Climbing bamboo 爬竹 Pá zhú Clumper Hangs loosely, or is scrambling. Nodes are slightly swollen. Nearly equal branches, central branches usually smaller than culms. Apoclada simplex 离枝竹属 A one-member genus found in the forests of southeastern Brazil.Arthrostylidium 节柱竹属 climbing bamboos found in the New World.Arthrostylidium angustifolium Arthrostylidium auriculatum Arthrostylidium banaoense Arthrostylidium canaliculatum Arthrostylidium chiribiquetense Arthrostylidium cubense Arthrostylidium distichum Arthrostylidium ecuadorense Arthrostylidium ekmanii Arthrostylidium excelsum Arthrostylidium farctum Arthrostylidium fimbriatum Arthrostylidium fimbrinodum Arthrostylidium grandifolium Arthrostylidium haitiense Arthrostylidium judziewiczii Arthrostylidium longiflorum Arthrostylidium merostachyoides Arthrostylidium multispicatum Arthrostylidium obtusatum Arthrostylidium pubescens Arthrostylidium punctulatum Arthrostylidium reflexum Arthrostylidium sarmentosum Arthrostylidium scandens Arthrostylidium schomburgkii Arthrostylidium simpliciusculum Arthrostylidium urbanii Arthrostylidium venezuelae Arthrostylidium virolinense Arthrostylidium youngianum Arundinaria 青篱竹属 New shoots grow only in spring. Many species put in this genus were later transferred to different genera.Arundinaria appalachiana Hill cane Runner The culms have internodes that are smooth and cylindrical, but slightly tapering, sheaths are usually not shed, unusually small for bamboo Arundinaria funghomii None Runner New culms are covered in gray blooms for most of first year. May be the same as Pseudosasa cantoriArundinaria gigantea River cane, canebrake Runner Native to the United States. Can grow at temperatures as low as -23 °C. Arundinaria gigantea Macon Macon river cane Runner Can grow at very low temperatures. Can survive at -32 °C with only minor leaf burn.Arundinaria tecta Switch cane Runner Like Arundinaria gigantea, but with persistent culm sheaths; can grow in soggy soil.Athroostachys capitata Atractantha Aulonemia Aulonemia queko Bambusa 簕竹属 Generally tropical bamboo, usually with many branches. New shoots appear in late fall.Bambusa arnhemica None Clumper On Northern Australian coasts. Deciduous during dry season. Dense clumps, thick culms, short internodes, low branches. Bambusa balcooa None Clumper From India. Has tangled clumps which make it difficult to harvest. They are strong, and are often used in construction. Bambusa bambos Giant thorny Clumper Fast growing, with thick walls. Lower branches are long and covered with thorns. Has edible shoots, and is used to make paper in India.Bambusa basihirsuta Flat bamboo 扁竹 Clumper Tight erect clumpsBambusa beecheyana Beechey bamboo 吊丝球竹 Clumper Culms with short internodes, covered with white powder when young, usually arch strongly, shoots often eaten.Bambusa beecheyana var. pubescens None 大头典竹 Clumper Same as regular Bambusa beecheyana, but more erect, with thicker nodual hair, and it branches lower.Bambusa blumeana spiny bamboo 簕竹 Clumper Tall thorny bamboo indigenous to India and Indonesia. Used for building material and baskets. Shoots eaten.Bambusa boniopsis None 妈竹 Mā zhú Clumper A small green bamboo with narrow leaves. Indigenous to Hainan Bambusa burmanica Burmese bamboo 缅甸竹 Clumper Nearly solid culms, with large leaves that can be up to a foot long; dense clumps with spiky low branches.Bambusa chungii None 粉箪竹 Clumper Thin-walled culms are covered with white powder. Bambusa chungii var. barbelatta None Clumper Light ring of hair around new culm nodes, and a loose sheath blade.Bambusa cornigera Bull's horn bamboo 牛角竹 Niújiǎo zhú Clumper Culms are zigzag and internodes are curved.Bambusa dissimulator None 坭簕竹 Clumper A giant tropical bamboo that has tough culms with long branches.Bambusa dissimulator Albinodia None Clumper A giant tropical bamboo that has tough culms with long branches. There are white rings above and below the nodes.Bambusa distegia None 料慈竹 Clumper Has green internodes, and bends slightly at the top. It also tolerates light frosts.Bambusa dolichoclada Long-branch bamboo 长枝竹 Clumper Has slightly drooping internodes, flat nodes, thick walls, and a thin layer of white powder on it.Bambusa dolichoclada Stripe None 条纹长枝竹 Clumper Has slightly drooping internodes, flat nodes, thick walls, thin creamy yellow stripes, and a thin layer of white powder on it.Bambusa dolichomerithalla Another name for Bambusa multiplexBambusa emeiensis Chrysotrichus None 慈竹 Clumper Originally known as Neosinocalamus affinis, but name was later changed to Bambusa emeinsis.Bambusa emeiensis Flavidovirens None 慈竹 Clumper Originally known as Neosinocalamus affinis, but name was later changed to Bambusa emeinsis. Pale yellow with green vertical stripesBambusa emeiensis Viridiflavus None 慈竹 Clumper Originally known as Neosinocalamus affinis, but name was later changed to Bambusa emeinsis. Has erect culms and yellow stripes.Bambusa eutuldoides None 大眼竹 Clumper Straight thick walled culms, with fine white stripes.Bambusa eutuldoides Viridivittata None 青丝黄竹 Clumper Yellow internodes with green stripes. Shoots have peach tonesBambusa flexuosa None 小�デç°�ダ竹 Clumper There is a ring of silky brown hair beneath each node, and few branches.Bambusa fulda None Clumper Unknown Unknown UnknownBambusa gibba Mud bamboo 坭竹