From the classical Latin arundo – reed.
Persistent reed-like rhizomatous bamboo with fine erect hollow cylindrical culms sometimes to about 8 m tall. Foliage developing from the top down. Sheaths with dark, rough bristles; ligule dark coloured, membrane a fringe of hairs. Branches several per node. Inflorescence determinate, opens racemose or paniculate, spathed. Spikelets 10-18 mm long, flattened laterally, with 2(3) glumes, lower glume 4-7 awned, upper glume 8-13 nerved, awnless.; florets 4-20, the upper probably unisexual. Lemmas 9-15 nerved. Palea several-awned.
Most of the more commonly cultivated species of Arundinaria have been transferred to other genera including Pseudosasa, Semiarundinaria, Sinarundinaria and Pleioblastus.
Division.
A. amabilis is cultivated for bamboo canes and is a popular source of split bamboo, also used for fishing rods and umbrella shafts.
Leaves with visible tessellation; culm sheaths persistent; branches forming from the top of the culms downwards cf. Chimonobambusa, Semiarundinaria, Pleioblastus.
Unknown number of species from Himalayas, China, South Africa and America. About 50 species in warmer regions.
Chao and Renvoize (1989).
Source: (2005). Poaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
