LENGTH OF THE LIFE CYCLE OF A CLIMBING BAMBOO 
85 
The climbing bamboo, Chusquea abietifolia, is, in reality, a scrambler 
with no specialized climbing organs — although one's first encounter with 
the plant is likely to suggest the presence of vicious thorns, for the leaf 
midrib terminates in a very sharp, protruding point. The long, erect young 
shoots push upward among the surrounding plants and are held from slip- 
ping back by the subsequent development of whorls of leaves and lateral 
branches. The height attained seldom exceeds 30 feet, while the mats of 
interwoven stems are often 10 to 15 feet across. If high supports are 
lacking Chusquea succeeds very well in climbing over low shrubs. The 
maximum basal diameter of the old culms is hardly a quarter of an inch, 
in contrast to the 5- and 6-inch culms of the closely related Bamhos {Bam- 
husa) vulgaris of the Jamaican lowlands. 
Chusquea abietifolia is little known outside of Jamaica. It has been 
reported (4) from only two other localities, both in the West Indies — 
Fig. 2. Growing seedlings of Chusquea abietifolia. 
Porto Rico (Monte Alegrillo) and Haiti (Monte Furcy). In Jamaica this 
rare bamboo is confined to the mountainous interior of the island. It does 
not occur much below 4,000 feet and is most abundant on the mountain 
ridges, being found on the very summit of Blue Mountain Peak, 7,360 feet 
above sea level. 
The habitat of the plant is apparently not so definitely dependent on 
moisture as it is on altitude, although the lower limit of 4,000 feet is 
