拐棍竹 guai gun zhu

Rhizome neck 9–20 cm. Culms 2–7 m, 1–3 cm in diam.; internodes terete, 15–30 cm, initially white powdery; wall 3–5 mm thick; supra-nodal ridges weakly prominent; sheath scar very prominent, ridged. Branches 15–20 per node. Culm sheaths deciduous or gradually deciduous, triangular-elliptic, shorter than internode, leathery, light yellow or yellow-brown setulose, setulae especially dense proximally, longitudinal ribs prominent, margins glabrous; auricles absent or small; oral setae absent, or few and deciduous; ligule truncate, 1–2 mm, initially densely ciliate; blade erect or reflexed, triangular or linear-lanceolate, glabrous. Leaves 2–4 per ultimate branch; sheath to 16 cm, glabrous, margins apically densely ciliate, apex broadly triangular; auricles absent; oral setae present; ligule purple, truncate, ca. 1 mm, glabrous; blade lanceolate, 6–23 × 0.5–2.3 cm, glabrous or abaxially sparsely pilose proximally, secondary veins 4–7-paired, transverse veins distinct, base cuneate, margins spinescent-serrulate. Inflorescence a condensed raceme, partially exserted from spathe; spikelets 5–11, 1–1.5 cm, rachilla internodes 1–2 mm; florets 2–4, green. Glumes 2, sparsely pilose, apex acuminate or long mucronate; lemma long mucronate at apex; palea keels serrulate; lodicules purple, margins ciliate, apex pubescent. Anthers yellow. Ovary ovoid, glabrous; style 1; stigmas 3. Caryopsis unknown. New shoots Jun–Aug.

* 1700–2800 m. W Sichuan.

The shoots are edible and are an important source of food for the giant panda. The culms provide material for weaving.