Shrubby, self-supporting to scrambling bamboos. Rhizomes leptomorph. Culms pluricaespitose, erect; internodes terete, long, thick walled, with a ring of white hairs below nodes; nodes prominent. Branches at mid-culm solitary, erect, parallel to and nearly as thick as culm; at upper nodes 3–5. Culm sheaths persistent, leathery at base, thinner at apex; auricles small or absent; oral setae developed; blade reflexed, leaflike or small. Leaf blade large; auricles absent or present with oral setae; ligule short; transverse veins distinct. Inflorescence a large panicle on leafy flowering branches. Spikelets very many, slender, 3–10-flowered, followed by a sterile floret. Glumes 2, obtuse. Rachilla articulate; florets falling separately; lemma leathery with many veins and obscure transverse venation. Palea longer than lemma, 2-keeled, apex emarginate. Lodicules 3. Stamens 3; filaments free. Ovary glabrous; styles short; stigmas 2, plumose. Fruit berrylike, succulent with thickened, fleshy pericarp but without hardened endocarp, ovoid or subglobose. 2n = 48*.

In the past, the culms of Ferrocalamus were used for making arrows. This rare endemic genus is endangered by habitat destruction, as it is known only from a very limited number of localities.

* Two species:China.

(Authors: Li Dezhu (李德铢); Chris Stapleton)