Bambusa arundinacea

General Description:

Bambusa arundinacea a graceful, spinous bamboo, distributed throughout the moist parts of India, up to an altitude of 1,250m, particularly near river banks; native to south-east Asia, also cultivated in the plains of North-West India, and on the hills of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.  It flowers gregariously once in 30-40 years.  Rhizomes short, stout, knotty; culms dense, reaching 24-30m in  height and 15-17cm in diam, green, hollow, purplish green when young, turning golden yellow, with prominent nodes and long internodes, lower ones rooting, often sub-angular, flexuous; leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, 7-18cm x 2-20mm; flowers in large panicles, sometimes occupying the whole culm; caryopsis oblong 5-8mm long, grooved on one side. The sprouts are acrid, bitter, laxative and are useful in inflammations, ulcers and wounds. Extract is used to treat various inflammatory conditions.