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Yushania yadongensis                                                                                                             T55

 

A common bamboo of mixed coniferous forest in the western valleys, extending down to 2,300m in moist gulleys. The only bamboo species to occur naturally around Thimphu. Previously included within Yushania microphylla, recent Chinese collections of Tibetan material from the Chumbi Valley have shown it to be a separate species. In areas of clear-felled forest it is reduced to less than 1m by browsing, and also often burning, but the culms can grow up to 3m tall and 1.5cm in diameter, with leaves of up to 10cm, when protected from grazing. This species is similar to Y. microphylla in its hollow rhizome necks. It can be distinguished from other Yushania species and  from   Sarocalamus   racemosus   by   the  slightly

 

 ribbed culms, which can be rough or smooth. As in Y. microphylla, the culms have a persistent ring of flaky wax below the nodes, which changes from white to black with age. Unlike Y. microphylla there is a ring of hairs at the culm sheath base, and the leaf sheath auricle is absent with erect setae. The leaves are also less hairy below. As is the case with all Yushania species, this bamboo becomes very dense and will interfere with tree regeneration if the forest is clear-felled. Nevertheless it is important for livestock grazing and for wildlife in the forest in the winter months. There are few uses for this bamboo, except for making brushes, and possibly arrows from the straightest culms.

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