Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 69(1): 75-80. 2017 
doi: 10.3850/S2010098116000058 
75 
A noteworthy Dendrocalamus (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) 
from Sumatra, Indonesia 
I Putu Gede P. Damayanto 1 & E.A. Widjaja 2 
herbarium Bogoriense, Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, 
Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor Km. 46, Cibinong 16911, Indonesia 
2 Present address RT/RW 03/01, Kp. Cimoboran, Ds. Sukawening, 
Dramaga Sub District, Bogor District, Indonesia 
parlida.damayanto.tab @ gmail.com 
ABSTRACT. There are eight species of Dendrocalamus Nees ( Dendrocalamus asper (Schult.) 
Backer, D. bengkalisensis Widjaja, D. brandisii (Munro) Kurz, D. buar Widjaja, D. giganteus 
Munro, D. bait Widjaja, D. latiflorus Munro, D. membranaceus Munro), wild or cultivated, 
already recorded for Sumatra. A new species is added to this list, Dendrocalamus luteus 
Damayanto & Widjaja, which grows wild in the Indonesia Ecosystem Restoration area in 
Sumatra’s Jambi and South Sumatra Provinces. The new species is described, illustrated, and 
included in an identification key to all Sumatran Dendrocalamus species. 
Keywords. Bambusoideae, Dendrocalamus luteus , new species, Sumatra 
Introduction 
According to Widjaja et al. (2014) Sumatra has the highest bamboo diversity in 
Indonesia, with at least 80 species, of which 32 species are endemic to the island. 
Three of these Sumatran endemic species are in the genus Dendrocalamus Nees 
(Dendrocalamus bengkalisensis Widjaja, D. buar Widjaja, D. bait Widjaja), another 
species of Dendrocalamus is newly described here, and five other species (D. asper 
(Schult.) Backer, D. brandisii (Munro) Kurz, D. giganteus Munro, D. latiflorus Munro, 
D. membranaceus Munro) are found only in cultivation. 
An identification key to these nine Dendrocalamus spp. in Sumatra is presented. 
Identification Key to Dendrocalamus species in Sumatra 
la Dominant primary branch axes at middle to distal parts of culm growing long and 
overarching onto neighbouring trees.2 
lb. Dominant primary branch axes not especially elongated, never overarching onto 
neighbouring trees.5 
2a. Leaf blade pubescent on lower surface.3 
2b. Leaf blade glabrous on lower surface.4 
