Australian Bamboo Network

THE AUSTRALIAN BAMBOO NETWORK
PO BOX 557, Yass, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA 2582

GO BACK

INDEX TO THE ABN BAMBOO SOURCE LIST

This list contains species data and supplier codes for all bamboo species grown in Australia. More comprehensive data relating to the List is available in the Introduction.
Bamboos on the ABN Source List have been categorised alphabetically using the first letter of the first word- to find out about a particular species, click on the appropriate letter from the list below. A B C D F G H I L M N O P S T

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SUPPLIERS CLICK HERE

USING THIS LIST

Many individuals have provided valued assistance in the compilation of this list, including Len Muller, Jim Wertz and Rollo Campbell. Without their help and insight into several bamboo groups, the compilation of this list would be a far more onerous task. However the errors and omissions in the list are my own.

Names of bamboos are by no means simple to determine. In 1735 Carl von Linné, whose name is usually Latinised to Carolus Linnaeus, introduced simple binomials in his publication Systema Naturae in an attempt to systematise names for animals and plants. Outward similarities helped to determine the genus and species (the two parts of the binomial) to which things belonged. Bamboos, usually considered a sub-set of the larger grass family, became a problem child because they are one of the plant groups in which not all the members flower annually. Linné used the flowering parts of plants to determine the group into which each would fit. Although a series of other physical characteristics help to group bamboos there is a good deal of conflicting scientific opinion about how some should be named. Botanists also have different opinions about where to draw the boundary line between genera, and so there are perhaps many more of these than may be necessary. In compiling this list I have chosen to be guided mainly by Genera Graminum published by Kew Gardens which itself, its authors concede, will not please everyone! However, some names are in such common use that I have noted where they are placed in the Kew publication, but have listed them under their commonly accepted name. In future issues of this list they may be referred to under their synonyms. You may need to look for a plant in supplier's lists under the alternate names.

REFERENCES:

1983, Ohrnberger, D, et al. The Bamboos of the World. In parts. Berlin.

1987, Wang, Dajun, & Shen Shap-Jin, Bamboos of China. Portland.

1986, Clayton, W. and S.A. Renvoize. Genera Graminum. Grasses of the World, Kew Bulletin Additional Series XII, London.

ABBREVIATIONS:

cv. = cultivar. f. = form. Syn. = synonym. var. = variety. The abbreviations used after species names in the list refer to a method for naming variants below the rank of of species. That is, the plant described is very closely related to a species, but shows some differences. A variety (var.) is the next rank below a species and usually shows several inheritable characteristics differing from the species. Some authors prefer using "sub-species" to describe this level of difference. A form (f.) usually has one distinct inheritable characteristic different from a species. A cultivar (cv.), sometimes synonymous with a variety, is usually a strain developed by horticulturists and is not normally found in wild populations.

Information given in columns for each plant is: name and a common synonym, maximum height in metres known for Australian plants, maximum culm diameter in centimetres, minimum temperature (Celsius) the plant tolerates, preference for shade(1) or sun(5) on a scale of 1-5, and the suppliers who list the plant in their catalogue.

GO BACK