Ph bambusoides?

[tharlow]

From a cut/paste I sent Mark. I've since heard back from Mike Hotchkiss with some additional possibilities (viridis and meyeri) that I think I've ruled out. The culm sheaths do have auricles, which I saw last night on a craft item some friends made with sheaths from this grove. I am becoming confident that this is bambusoides, but I'm open to other possibilities to consider. The grove predates the 1970's seeding and die off of bambusoides in the U.S. Greeneville, TN is USDA zone 6. It is these last two pieces of information that which give me pause. Is 6 to cold to well establish bambusoides? I suppose it could either have been one that did not go to seed, or it could have have plenty of time for the seedlings to grow up.

Details about the plant in question are below.

I have since measured one of the larger culms at 2 3/8" in diameter with walls 3/8" thick.
--Tom
==========================================================


>> Hi Mark,
>>
>> I'm anxiously waiting for Mike to reply to my query below. In the
>> past he's been a quick reply. So I'm wondering if he's away from
>> computer access. Being a novice to runners, I was wondering if I
>> might pose the questions to you?
>>
>>
>> Thanks, Tom
>>
--------------------
>> Hi Mike,
>>
>> Like you said, a lot of the stuff up here in NE Tennessee has
>> turned out to be aureosulcata. I just ran across a grove that has
>> larger culms. They are smooth with a glossy green. Branching does
not
>> begin until about half way up the culms. The walls are fairly thick.
>> Many are as large in diameter as vivax( my reference point was the
>> Ocalla grove and the vivax you showed me in Hawkinsville), but the
>> walls are definitely thicker. I've been told there are some very
>> large culms that a man who was an All American Offensive lineman in
>> college could not close his hand around. So I'm thinking maybe 2.5
>> common, maybe some over 3"
>>
>> There are oral setae on the leaves. The sheaths are not
persistent.
>> New culms have some bloom near the nodes.
>>
>> It frequently has the external aerial (?) rootlets supporting the
>> base of the culm as in this photo of bambusoides:

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/548/thumbs/PbamAvLA060306-1808.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3493)

>>
>> Which leads me to wonder if it might be bambusoides up here?
>>
>> I was able to find culm sheaths with the mottled pattern of spots
>> throughout it. I think the sheath blade matches but it's hard to
know
>> if there were auricles that came off.
>>
>> Are there others I should consider as a possibility besides
>> bambusoides?
>>
>> Thanks, Tom
>>

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Tom,
From your description it does sounds like it could be Phyllostachys bambusoides (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=548)
Fresh new culms are very glossy with only a very light hint of glaucous powder below the nodes.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/548/thumbs/PbambusoidesAuTX050506-225.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=1151)

As the culms age they do develop the white > turning black band below the nodes.
Nodes of smaller diameter culms are more prominent, with a somewhat rounded appearance, and much less so with larger 2"+ diameter culms.

Groves of Phyllostachys bambusoides (that I've encountered) which flowered in the 70's and onwards never died off completely but rejuvenated and have returned to their former stature.
I also remember seeing a well established grove of bambusoides in the Southeast corner of Pennsylvania/Delaware state in 1990, which was originally Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Castillon', and upon flowering reverted to the species form P. bambusoides.
At that time I didn't see any culms exceeding 2", more were less diameters but it covered at least an acre.

Interestingly the bambusoides shown in the gallery at Avery Island Louisiana has spread to quite a few acres (5+?), but the largest I found and measured was around 3" diameter.
It was very overgrown/never touched with much competetion from previous
years culms and a mixed forest.

BTW, of the other possible species with speckled culms sheaths ...

P. meyeri - litely speckled sheaths, no culm sheath auricles

P. viridis - speckled sheaths, no culm sheath auricles

P. vivax - speckled sheaths, culm sheaths have auricles, noticeably ridged striations on the internodes, a distinctly slightly alternating 'wobble' when looking directly up a decent sized culm.

Mark

[tharlow]

Aged sheaths remain speckled throughout and have auricles. We measured one at 2 7/8" (9" circ.) and measured a smaller one we harvested at ~42 ft.

Knowing it can make it in PA gives me more confidence it's what we have.

--Tom