KEY TO BAMBUSA SPECIES

Maximum culm height less than 10m, no hairs on new culm sheaths

  culm sheath auricles absent or very small, similar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . multiplex
  culm sheath auricles different, one much larger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . alamii

Maximum culm height more than 10m, new culm sheaths densely hairy:-

  Culm sheath auricles large, more than 1.5cm in width or height:-

     leaf sheath oral setae to more than 5mm long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pallida
     leaf sheath oral setae to less than 5mm long:-

        culm sheath auricles slightly pointed, often curling backwards; edges of culm
         sheath blade bearing long bristles towards the base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vulgaris

        culm sheath auricles rounded, upright; edges of culm sheath blade sometimes
         bearing a few bristles:-

           culm sheath blade prominently cupped, persistent; both culm sheath auricles 
            wider than their height; bases of culms without yellow stripes; culms up to 25m
            tall, very straight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nutans subsp. cupulata

           culm sheath blade not prominently cupped, deciduous; one culm sheath auricle
            rounded, taller than its width; bases of some culms with faint yellow stripes;
            culms up to 15m tall, slightly crooked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tulda

  Culm sheath auricles absent or small, less than 1.5cm in width and height:-

    no auricles, even on new culm sheaths; leaf sheaths with brown hairs  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . balcooa
    culm sheath auricles small, rounded; leaf sheaths with no hairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . clavata