PHILIPPINE BAMBOOS 



By William H. Brown and Arthur F. Fischer 

 INTRODUCTION 



The bamboos form a section of the grass family and contain 

 the largest known grasses, many of which are of tree size. 

 Bamboos, according to form, can be divided into three classes : 

 clump-forming erect species; erect ones which send up shoots 

 singly from an underground stem ; and climbing bamboos. Erect 

 clump-forming species are characteristic of tropical countries, 

 while those which send up shoots singly are more charac- 

 teristic of subtropical or temperate regions. Bamboos are 

 the most useful plants for domestic purposes in the Philippine 

 Islands. Their most promising possibilities for export are as 

 paper pulp, hats, baskets, mats, and matting. These products 

 will be discussed in later bulletins. 



In the Philippine Islands are found about 30 species of bamboo, 

 17 erect and 13 climbing-, as follows: 



CLIMBING 



Cephalostachyum mindorense Gam- 

 ble. 



Dinochloa ciliata Kurz. 



Dinochloa elmeri Gamble. 



Dinochloa luconiae (Munro) Merr. 



Dinochloa pubiramea (Merr.) Gam- 

 ble. 



Dinochloa scandens O. Kuntze. 



Schizostachyum luzonicum Gamble. 



Schizostachyum curranii Gamble. 



Schizostachyum dielsianum (Pilger) 

 Merr. 



Schizostachyum diffusum (Blanco) 

 Merr. 



Schizostachyum fenixii Gamble. 



Schizostachyum palawanense Gam- 

 ble. 



Schizostachyum textorium (Blanco) 

 Merr. 



Schizostachyum toppingii Gamble. 



At present the climbing bamboos are of slight commercial 

 importance, and are rather a disadvantage than an advantage, 

 as they occupy space which might be utilized by more valuable 

 plants. They grow at the edge of the forest or in deserted 

 caingins, 1 or in the forest whenever space has been opened up 



1 A word used in the Philippines for a clearing made for temporary 

 cultivation. 



9 



ERECT 



Arundinaria niitakayamensis Hayata. 

 Bambusa cornuta Munro. 

 Bambusa glaucescens (Willd.) Sieb. 

 Bambusa merrillii Gamble. 

 Bambusa spinosa Roxb. 

 Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. 

 Bambusa vulgaris striata Gamble. 

 Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro. 

 Dendrocalamus merrillianus Elm. 

 Gigantochloa levis (Blanco) Merr. 

 Guadua philippinensis Gamble. 

 Schizostachyum brachycladum Kurz. 

 Schizostachyum hirtifloru.m Hack. 

 Schizostachyum lima (Blanco) Merr. 

 Schizostachyum lumampao (Blanco) 



Merr. 

 Dendrocalamus curranii Gamble. 



