Bamboo Species of Bolivia
7 genera, 34 species
In Bolivia, bamboo has been used by Andean communities in traditional production of musical instruments and baskets, and as cattle forage. An estimate of the area of bamboo forest in the highlands or lowland regions of this country does not yet exist.
The botanical survey conducted during the last decade in the lowland regions of Bolivia has reported one genus: Actinocladum, in addition to 2 species of Guadua to be added to Bolivia’s bamboo inventory. Eastern Bolivia has Guadua chacoensis and Guadua paniculata growing in dry closed-type plant communities; 2 other species, Guadua sarcocarpa and Guadua superba, occur in north-eastern Bolivia at the border with Brazil and Peru, in a huge bamboo dominated forest.
From the 34 species reported in Bolivia, only 3 have some economic and/or cultural role: Aulonemia queko, Rhipidocladum harmonicum and Guadua paniculata. In Bolivia Guadua paniculata occurs in the departments of Beni and Santa Cruz, growing in dry forests at 200-700m elevation. It is locally named "guapa" and is extracted from existing native populations.
Native Bamboo Species of Bolivia
| Species | Diameter | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Actinocladum verticillatum | ∅ 14 mm | ⇑ 4 m |
| Arthrostylidium canaliculatum | ∅ 5 mm | ⇑ 6 m |
| Aulonemia boliviana | ∅ 5 mm | |
| Aulonemia herzogiana | ∅ 4 mm | ⇑ 6 m |
| Aulonemia longipedicellata | ⇑ 2 m | |
| Aulonemia queko | ∅ 30 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Aulonemia tremula | ∅ 2 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Chusquea asymmetrica | ∅ 7 mm | ⇑ 2,5 m |
| Chusquea deficiens | ∅ 8 mm | ⇑ 4 m |
| Chusquea delicatula | ∅ 5 mm | ⇑ 3 m |
| Chusquea depauperata | ∅ 5 mm | ⇑ 1,3 m |
| Chusquea floribunda | ||
| Chusquea laegaardii | ∅ 6 mm | ⇑ 0,8 m |
| Chusquea longipendula | ⇑ 12 m | |
| Chusquea lorentziana | ∅ 15 mm | ⇑ 6 m |
| Chusquea ovatifolia | ||
| Chusquea parodii | ||
| Chusquea paucispiculata | ||
| Chusquea peruviana | ⇑ 3 m | |
| Chusquea picta | ||
| Chusquea ramosissima | ∅ 15 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Chusquea renvoizei | ∅ 2 mm | ⇑ 1,5 m |
| Chusquea scandens | ∅ 25 mm | ⇑ 6 m |
| Chusquea spicata | ∅ 5 mm | ⇑ 0,4 m |
| Chusquea yungasensis | ||
| Guadua chacoensis | ∅ 150 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Guadua paniculata | ∅ 70 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Guadua paraguayana | ∅ 40 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Guadua sarcocarpa | ∅ 100 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Guadua superba | ∅ 150 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Guadua weberbaueri | ∅ 60 mm | ⇑ 18 m |
| Merostachys yungasensis | ||
| Rhipidocladum harmonicum | ∅ 60 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Rhipidocladum racemiflorum | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 15 m |
Source: INBAR
