Bamboo Species of El Salvador

6 genera, 11 species

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America, and it has the highest deforestation and overpopulation. Probably, some of the 11 bamboo species reported in the country do not exist anymore.

There are several reports on the use of native bamboos -- belonging to the genera Guadua, Otatea and Elytrostachys -- that occur below 1,000 m elevation.

G. amplexifolia occurs in areas adjacent to Tecoluca (San Vicentre Department), Zacatecoluca (La Paz Department) and Canton Soledad (Cabañas Department) at elevations of 400 to 800 m. G. aculeata occurs in the vicinity of Ahuachapan (Ahuachapan Department) at 900 to 1,050 m elevations. G. paniculata (locally known as "cana brava") is found in the Departments of Cuscatlan and Cabañas growing wild on dry ridges at elevations of 540-870 m. More recently, G. paniculata has been reported in Chalatenango Department, at 300 m elevation.

McClure brought around 20 species of Asiatic bamboos from Puerto Rico, the Canal Zone and El Paraiso (Honduras) and planted them at San Andres. At present, the National Center of Agricultural Technology (CENTA) has the largest bamboo collection in the country, with 17 species of native and exotic bamboos, mostly from McClure's introductions.

Native woody bamboo species of El Salvador:

Source: INBAR