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12. NEOMICROCALAMUS  

 

Clump-forming scrambling thornless bamboos, from subtropical to warm-temperate areas, with culms less than 2cm in diameter, long shiny internodes, very long and strong central branches, and needle-like culm sheath blades. The culm sheaths can have tiny backward-facing spines and the culms develop tough flanges around the node, to help them to use tree branches for support as they clamber into the canopy. The flowers have six stamens and are in long pendulous spikelets. In Bhutan they are found only in the wet subtropical

 

 

forests in the south and east. The erect needle-like culm sheath blades and the smooth shiny culm surface distinguish these bamboos from all others. The mid-culm buds are tall and narrow. There are up to eighteen similar small branches, often with a strongly dominant central branch, similar in size to the culm. The culms are very flexible, and are used for high quality weaving. Yushania species can appear similar with strong central branches lower down, but they have prominent cross-veins on their leaves and usually have rougher culms.

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