Ferrocalamus Explained

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]

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]

External links

• Information at The Plant List
• Profile at UniProt
• Nucleotide database at NCBI

Notes and References

1. Xue, Ji Ru & Keng, Pai Chieh. 1982. Journal of Bamboo Research 1 (2): 3
2. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200132 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. Book: Li DZ, Stapleton C. 2006 . Ferrocalamus . Flora of China. Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY. 135. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Bot. Garden Press . St. Louis .
4. Web site: Clayton WD, Vorontsova MS, Harman KT, Williamson H. World Grass Species: Descriptions, Identification, and Information Retrieval. 2006. GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora . The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew .
5. Ferrocalamus fibrillosus. Annales Botanici Fennici . June 2012 . 49 . 3 . 206–208 . 10.5735/085.049.0309 . Nguyen . Hoang Nghia . Tran . Van Tien . Nguyen . Van Tho .
6. Web site: Ferrocalamus rimosivaginus.
7. Web site: Ferrocalamus rimosivaginus.
8. Web site: Flora of China.