Encyclopedia or Database to Identify Bamboo Species

Is there a bamboo encyclopedia or database that has significant amount of information? Trying to identify some bamboo that I have, because I'm not exactly trusting the information where I got the bamboo from. Would like to compare data.

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⭐ Best Answer:

Yes there is: Plants of the World Online - KEW

This is the most complete database with all currently known bamboo species. Unfortunately they don’t show a lot of images of the bamboo. Here on our website we do publish photos and descriptions of the most popular bamboo species so you might have more luck browsing our page.

What Determines the Length of Bamboo Internodes?

What determines the length of bamboo internodes? Is it the species only, or are there other factors involved?

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⭐ Best Answer:

The length of bamboo internodes varies greatly from species to species, and the climate and soil it is grown in. Also, bamboo internodes are much shorter towards the base and tip of the culm (stem) compared to the internodal length in the middle of the culm. 

Generally speaking the more nodes, the stronger the bamboo. A bamboo culm is at its strongest at the base (largest diameter, more nodes, thickest walls), that's because it has to support the weight of the entire culm, branches and leaves.

So why are the internodes also short toward the tip of the bamboo? This has two reasons:

1. The branches grow from the nodes. Most bamboo species have little to no branches in the middle of the culm, but primarily at the top, and sometimes near the base. That's why there are more nodes and shorter internodes at the top.

2. Since there is a lot of weight from branches and leaves at the top, it also has to be strong and flexibel. Hence, lots of nodes and short internodes.

How Many Internodes Has an Average Bamboo Culm?

How many internodes has an average bamboo culm?

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⭐ Best Answer:

In BAMBOOS OF THAILAND there are several tables in which the number of culm-nodes and their corresponding culm length above the ground, the number of internodes, their length, diameter and wall width are listed.

Such tables are available of the following species:
Bambusa pervariabilis, Bambusa textilis, three unidentified Bambusa species, Cephalostachyum pergracile, three unidentified Dendrocalamus species, Lingnania distegia, one unidentified Schizostachyum species, and ×Thyrsocalamus liang.