Bamboo Species of Brazil
17 genera, 135 species, 2 subspecies
Brazil is the country with the greatest bamboo diversity and the highest percentage of endemic woody bamboos in Latin America -- 137 species (32% of Latin American bamboo species) and 17 genera (85% of Latin American bamboo genera). The states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina, Bahia and Parana have the greatest diversity of woody bamboos.
Foremost among the world centers of bamboo diversity are the Atlantic forests of Brazil, which extend from the state of Paraiba to Rio Grande do Sul in a mostly narrow coastal strip characterized by abundant rainfall, and include 22 genera and 62 species (woody and herbaceous).
Several exotic bamboo species were introduced to Brazil during the period of colonization by the Portuguese. These species are widely distributed around the country and, along with some natives ones, have a large number of uses: building material (including raw material for low-cost housing); source of food for people and livestock; raw material for making a wide variety of handicrafts; source of medicine; raw material for paper pulp; for erosion control; as ornamental plants; etc. Bamboo is also under research as possible source of ethanol.
Native Bamboo Species of Brazil
| Species | Diameter | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Actinocladum verticillatum | ∅ 14 mm | ⇑ 4,6 m |
| Alvimia auriculata | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 25 m |
| Alvimia gracilis | ∅ 5 mm | ⇑ 8 m |
| Alvimia lancifolia | ∅ 8 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Apoclada arenicola | ∅ 6 mm | ⇑ 1,6 m |
| Apoclada cannavieria | ∅ 9 mm | ⇑ 1,7 m |
| Apoclada simplex | ∅ 50 mm | ⇑ 8 m |
| Arthrostylidium fimbrinodum | ∅ 12 mm | ⇑ 7 m |
| Arthrostylidium grandifolium | ∅ 12 mm | |
| Arthrostylidium simpliciusculum | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 12 m |
| Arthrostachys capitata | ||
| Atractantha amazonica | ∅ 8 mm | ⇑ 6 m |
| Atractantha aureolanata | ∅ 20 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Atractantha cardinalis | ∅ 13 mm | ⇑ 15 m |
| Atractantha falcata | ∅ 8 mm | ⇑ 12 m |
| Atractantha radiata | ∅ 13 mm | ⇑ 12 m |
| Aulonemia amplissima | ⇑ 2 m | |
| Aulonemia aristulata | ⇑ 3 m | |
| Aulonemia effusa | ∅ 5 mm | ⇑ 1,5 m |
| Aulonemia glaziovii | ||
| Aulonemia goyazensis | ||
| Aulonemia radiata | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 3 m |
| Aulonemia ramosissima | ||
| Aulonemia setigera | ⇑ 10 m | |
| Aulonemia ulei | ∅ 6 mm | ⇑ 3 m |
| Chusquea acuminata | ||
| Chusquea anelythra | ∅ 4 mm | |
| Chusquea anelytroides | ⇑ 10 m | |
| Chusquea attenuata | ||
| Chusquea baculifera | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 3 m |
| Chusquea bahiana | ∅ 17 mm | ⇑ 6 m |
| Chusquea bambusoides | ∅ 6 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Chusquea bradei | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 6 m |
| Chusquea caparaoensis | ∅ 25 mm | ⇑ 4,5 m |
| Chusquea capitata | ||
| Chusquea capituliflora var. capituliflora | ∅ 5 mm | |
| Chusquea capituliflora var. pubescens | ||
| Chusquea erecta | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 2,5 m |
| Chusquea fasciculata | ||
| Chusquea gracilis | ∅ 18 mm | |
| Chusquea heterophylla | ∅ 15 mm | ⇑ 2 m |
| Chusquea ibiramae | ||
| Chusquea juergensii | ∅ 15 mm | ⇑ 4 m |
| Chusquea leptophylla | ∅ 2 mm | |
| Chusquea linearis | ||
| Chusquea meyeriana | ||
| Chusquea microphylla | ∅ 5 mm | ⇑ 1 m |
| Chusquea mimosa ssp. australis | ||
| Chusquea mimosa ssp. mimosa | ||
| Chusquea nudiramea | ∅ 12 mm | ⇑ 4 m |
| Chusquea nutans | ∅ 15 mm | ⇑ 5 m |
| Chusquea oligophylla | ∅ 5 mm | |
| Chusquea oxylepis | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 5 m |
| Chusquea pinifolia | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 3 m |
| Chusquea pulchella | ∅ 3 mm | ⇑ 3 m |
| Chusquea ramosissima | ∅ 15 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Chusquea riosaltensis | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 1,5 m |
| Chusquea sclerophylla | ∅ 4 mm | |
| Chusquea sellowii | ∅ 3 mm | ⇑ 3 m |
| Chusquea tenella | ∅ 3 mm | |
| Chusquea tenuiglumis | ||
| Chusquea urelytra | ||
| Chusquea wilkesii | ||
| Chusquea windischii | ∅ 10 mm | ⇑ 1 m |
| Colanthelia burchellii | ⇑ 3 m | |
| Colanthelia cingulata | ∅ 5 mm | |
| Colanthelia distans | ||
| Colanthelia intermedia | ∅ 3 mm | |
| Colanthelia lanciflora | ∅ 5 mm | |
| Colanthelia macrostachya | ||
| Colanthelia rhizantha | ∅ 2 mm | ⇑ 3 m |
| Cricuma asymmetrica | ||
| Elytrostachys sp. | ||
| Eremocaulon aureofimbriatum | ∅ 35 mm | ⇑ 11 m |
| Glaziophyton mirabile | ⇑ 2,4 m | |
| Guadua calderoniana | ∅ 35 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Guadua ciliata | ∅ 20 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Guadua glomerata | ∅ 45 mm | ⇑ 12 m |
| Guadua latifolia | ∅ 70 mm | ⇑ 11 m |
| Guadua macrostachya | ∅ 70 mm | ⇑ 18 m |
| Guadua maculosa | ||
| Guadua paniculata | ∅ 70 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Guadua paraguayana | ∅ 40 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Guadua sarcocarpa ssp. sarcocarpa | ||
| Guadua superba | ∅ 150 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Guadua tagoara | ∅ 100 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Guadua trinii | ∅ 50 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Guadua virgata | ||
| Guadua weberbaueri | ∅ 120 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Merostachys abadiana | ∅ 5 mm | ⇑ 2 m |
| Merostachys argentea | ||
| Merostachys argyronema | ||
| Merostachys bifurcata | ||
| Merostachys bradei | ||
| Merostachys burmanii | ∅ 40 mm | ⇑ 15 m |
| Merostachys calderoniana | ||
| Merostachys caucaiana | ∅ 10 mm | |
| Merostachys ciliata | ||
| Merostachys clausenii var. clausenii | ||
| Merostachys clausenii var. mollior | ||
| Merostachys exserta | ||
| Merostachys filgueirasii | ∅ 15 mm | ⇑ 10 m |
| Merostachys fischeriana | ||
| Merostachys fistulosa | ||
| Merostachys glauca | ∅ 25 mm | |
| Merostachys kleinii | ||
| Merostachys kunthii | ⇑ 9 m | |
| Merostachys lanata | ||
| Merostachys leptophylla | ||
| Merostachys magellanica | ∅ 14 mm | ⇑ 8 m |
| Merostachys medullosa | ||
| Merostachys multiramea | ∅ 40 mm | ⇑ 12 m |
| Merostachys neesii | ||
| Merostachys petiolata | ||
| Merostachys pilifera | ∅ 50 mm | ⇑ 20 m |
| Merostachys pluriflora | ||
| Merostachys polyantha | ⇑ 8 m | |
| Merostachys procerrima | ||
| Merostachys ramosissima | ||
| Merostachys riedeliana | ⇑ 7,5 m | |
| Merostachys rodoniensis | ||
| Merostachys scandens | ∅ 30 mm | ⇑ 6 m |
| Merostachys sellovii | ||
| Merostachys skortzovii | ||
| Merostachys sparsiflora | ⇑ 8 m | |
| Merostachys speciosa | ||
| Merostachys ternata | ∅ 13 mm | ⇑ 12 m |
| Merostachys vestita | ∅ 4 mm | |
| Myriocladus grandifolius | ∅ 15 mm | ⇑ 3 m |
| Myriocladus neblinaensis | ⇑ 1,5 m | |
| Myriocladus paludicolus | ⇑ 8 m | |
| Myriocladus virgatus | ⇑ 1,5 m | |
| Rhipidocladum parviflorum |
The area of bamboo forests in Brazil is still not clearly determined. However, it is known that the states of Amazonas and Acre have the largest area of bamboo. The extent and distribution of bamboo-dominated forest in south-western Amazon basin are uncertain. Recently, with satellite imagery, aerial photographs and site investigations, it has been calculated that the bamboo-dominant area is close to 180,000 km2, or 18 million hectares.
Amazon in Brazil
At least 3 genera of woody bamboos have been reported in this bamboo forest: Arthrostylidium, Elytrostachys and Guadua. The most dominant genus is Guadua, with Guadua weberbaueri, Guadua sarcocarpa, Guadua superba, Guadua paraguayana, Guadua capitata, Guadua ciliate, Guadua glomerata and several unknown species forming an impenetrable tangle of thorny vegetation.
The common view in Brazil is that the bamboo resources of the country are infinite. Even then, the alarming rate of destruction, especially of the ecosystems where the majority of native bamboo species are found, calls for an intensive campaign to protect some bamboo species from indiscriminate felling and extinction.
Currently, some Asiatic bamboos, principally in the genera of Bambusa and Dendrocalamus, fill a more important economic role than any native species in Brazil.
Of the 17 genera of woody bamboos native to Brazil, it can be said that only Actinocladum, Apoclada, Chusquea, Guadua and Merostachys consist of any species that have or could have any potential use.
Source: INBAR
