Bamboo
Bamboo forest in Kyoto, Japan
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Subfamily: Bambusoideae Supertribe: Bambusodae Tribe: Bambuseae Kunth ex Dumort.
Diversity
Around 92 genera and 1,000 species
Subtribes
Arthrostylidiinae Arundinariinae Bambusinae Chusqueinae Guaduinae Melocanninae Nastinae Racemobambodinae Shibataeinae See the full Taxonomy of the Bambuseae. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Liliopsida is a Botanical name for the class containing the family Liliaceae (or Lily Family Poales is an order of Flowering plants in the Monocotyledons and includes families of plants such as the grasses, Bromeliads, Poaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida of the flowering plants. The Bambusoideae is a Subfamily of the True grass Family Poaceae, and is characterized by having 3 Stigmas and are mostly tree-like The Bambusoideae is a Subfamily of the True grass Family Poaceae, and is characterized by having 3 Stigmas and are mostly tree-like Carl Sigismund Kunth ( June 18, 1788 — March 22, 1850; also Karl Sigismund Kunth or anglicized as Charles Sigismund Kunth Barthélemy Charles Joseph Baron Dumortier (born on April 3, 1797 in Tournai; died in 1878 was a Belgian Politician and There is an uncompleted list of species here Bamboo species. The tribe Bambuseae comprises around 1000 Species, distributed into numerous tribes, A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. In Biology, a tribe &mdashor infrafamily&mdashis a Taxonomic rank between family and Genus. The Arthrostylidiinae is a Subtribe of Bamboo ( tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae) The Arundinariinae is a Subtribe of Bamboo ( tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae) The Bambusinae is a Subtribe of Bamboo ( tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae) The Chusqueinae is a Subtribe of Bamboo ( tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae) The Guaduinae is a Subtribe of Bamboo ( tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae) The Melocanninae is a Subtribe of Bamboo ( tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae) The Nastinae is a Subtribe of Bamboo ( tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae) Racemobambos is a Genus of Bamboo ( tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae) and the sole genus of its Subtribe Shibataeinae is a Subtribe of Bamboo ( tribe Bambuseae of the family Poaceae) There is an uncompleted list of species here Bamboo species. The tribe Bambuseae comprises around 1000 Species, distributed into numerous tribes,

Bamboo listen (help·info) is a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs A perennial plant or perennial ( Latin per, "through" annus, "year" is a Plant that lives for more than In Botany, an Evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Poaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida of the flowering plants. Poaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida of the flowering plants. The Bambusoideae is a Subfamily of the True grass Family Poaceae, and is characterized by having 3 Stigmas and are mostly tree-like Some of its members are giant bamboo, forming by far the largest members of the grass family. Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world. Their accelerated growth rate (up to 3-4 feet/day (1. 5-2. 0 inches/hr)) is due to a unique rhizome system and is dependent on local soil and climate conditions.

They are of economic and high cultural significance in East Asia and South East Asia where they are used extensively in gardens, as a building material as well as a food source. In Filipino, they are known as kawayan, Chamorro as piao, in Chinese as zhu (Chinese: 竹; pinyin: zhú), in Japanese as take (Kanji: 竹; Hiragana: たけ, take^?), in Korean as dae (대) or daenamu (대나무), in Myanmar as wa, in Vietnamese as Tre /tʃe/, in Hindi as baans (बाँस) or vanoo (वेणु), and in Indonesian as bambu^[1]. Filipino is the national and an Official language of the Philippines as designated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Chamorro ( Chamoru) is the native language of the Chamorro or Chamoru of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with Hiragana (ひらがな 平仮名 Katakana is a Japanese Syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system, along with Katakana and Kanji; the Latin alphabet This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Vietnamese ( tiếng Việt, or less commonly Việt ngữ) formerly known under French colonization as Annamese ( see Annam) Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Indonesian or Bahasa Indonesia, based on the Riau version of Malay language, was declared the official language with the declaration of

There are 91 genera and about 1,000 species of bamboo. There is an uncompleted list of species here Bamboo species. The tribe Bambuseae comprises around 1000 Species, distributed into numerous tribes, They are found in diverse climates, from cold mountains to hot tropical regions. The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 They occur across East Asia, from 50°N latitude in Sakhalin through to northern Australia, and west to India and the Himalaya. Sakhalin (Сахали́н səxʌˈlʲin Japanese:nihongo|樺太|karafuto or; Chinese: 庫頁 Kùyè also Saghalien, is a large elongated For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ^[2] They also occur in sub-Saharan Africa, and in the Americas from the southeast of the United States^[3] south to Argentina and Chile, there reaching their furthest south anywhere, at 47°S latitude. The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Major areas with no native bamboos include Europe, north Africa, western Asia, Canada, most of Australia, and Antarctica. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. ^[4]

All Bamboo that have their Chinese name end in the character "竹". Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily This character by itself simply means bamboo, however it enters into hundreds of other words and phrases. "Every day our witten language reminds us of the antiquity of China's partnership with bamboo. " (Dr. W Y. Hsiung). This character, pronounced chu depicts two leafed twigs of bamboo. The radical 竹 also indicates sense. ^[5]

Ecology

Mass flowering

Bamboo can grow three or more inches a day though there are exceptions (below). Although some bamboos flower every year, most species flower infrequently. In fact, many bamboos only flower at intervals as long as 60 or 120 years. These taxa exhibit mass flowering (or gregarious flowering), with all plants in the population flowering simultaneously. The longest mass flowering interval known is 130 years, and is found in the species Phyllostachys bambusoides (Sieb. & Zucc. ). In this species all plants of the same stock flower at the same time, regardless of differences in geographic locations or climatic conditions and the bamboo then dies. The lack of environmental impact on the time of flowering indicates the presence of some sort of “alarm clock” in each cell of the plant which signals the diversion of all energy to flower production and the cessation of vegetative growth. ^[6] This mechanism, as well as the evolutionary cause behind it, is still largely a mystery.

One theory attempting to explain the evolution of this semelparous mass flowering is the predator satiation hypothesis. This theory argues that by fruiting at the same time a population increases the survival rate of their seeds by flooding the area with fruit so that even if predators eat their fill, there will still be seeds left over. The death of the adult clone, this hypothesis argues, is due to resource exhaustion, as it would be more effective for parent plants to devote all resources to creating a large seed crop than to hold back energy for their own regeneration. ^[7]

Giant bamboo with person to show relative size

A second theory, the fire cycle hypothesis, argues that the death of the adult plants has evolved as a mechanism to create disturbance in the habitat, thus providing the seedlings with a gap to grow in. Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily This hypothesis argues that the dead culms create a large fuel load, and also a large target for lightning strikes, increasing the likelihood of wildfire. ^[8] Because bamboos are very aggressive as early successional plants, the seedlings would be able to outstrip other plants and take over the space left by their parents. However, both of these theories contain flaws, and the cause of this mass flowering and fruiting remains uncertain.

The mass fruiting also has direct economic consequences, however. The huge increase in available fruit in the forests often causes a boom in rodent populations, leading to increases in disease and famine in nearby human populations. For example, there are devastating consequences when the Melocanna bambusoides population flowers and fruits once every 30-35 years around the Bay of Bengal. The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. The death of the bamboo plants following their fruiting means the local people lose their building material, and the large increase in bamboo fruit leads to a rapid increase in rodent populations. As the number of rodents increase, they consume all available food, including grain fields and stored food, sometimes leading to famine. A famine is a widespread shortage of food that may apply to any Faunal species which phenomenon is usually accompanied by regional Malnutrition, Starvation These rats can also carry dangerous diseases such as typhus, typhoid, and bubonic plague, which can reach epidemic proportions as the rodents increase in number. Typhus is any of several similar diseases caused by Louse -borne bacteria Typhoid fever, also known as enteric fever, bilious fever, Yellow Jack or commonly just typhoid, is an illness caused by the Bacterium Bubonic plague is the best-known manifestation of the bacterial disease plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis (formerly known as ^[9][10]

Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant on Earth. It has been clocked surging skyward as fast as 121 cm (47. 6 inches) in a 24-hour period. ^[11] It can also reach maximal growth rate which exceed one meter (40 inches) per hour for short periods of time.

Many prehistoric bamboos stemming from Poaceae and Bambusoideae have existed since prehistoric eras. These species of bamboo exceeded heights of 250 feet. Primarily growing in regions of warmer climates, vast fields existed in what is now Asia. In modern times bamboo can only sustain this growth for short periods of time. During the Mesozoic and Cretaceous period, bamboo growth could exceed 5 meters (16 feet) within 24 hours.

Cultivation

Bamboo foliage with yellow stems (probably Phyllostachys aurea)

Bamboo foliage with black stems (probably Phyllostachys nigra)

Commercial timber

Timber is harvested from cultivated and wild stands and some of the larger bamboos, particularly species in the genus Phyllostachys, are known as "timber bamboos". Phyllostachys is a Genus of Bamboo. The species are native to Asia with a large number of species found in Central China, but

Ornamental bamboos

Many bamboos are popular in cultivation as garden trees. A garden is a planned space usually outdoors set aside for the display cultivation and enjoyment of Plants and other forms of Nature. There are two general patterns for the growth of bamboo: "clumping" (sympodial) and "running" (monopodial). Clumping bamboo species tend to spread slowly, as the growth pattern of the rhizomes is to simply expand the root mass gradually, similar to ornamental grasses. "Running" bamboos, on the other hand, need to be taken care of in cultivation because of their potential for aggressive behavior. They spread mainly through their roots and/or rhizomes, which can spread widely underground and send up new culms to break through the surface. ROOT is an object-oriented program and library developed by CERN. In Botany, a rhizome is a horizontal stem of a Plant that is usually found underground often sending out Roots and Shoots Running bamboo species are highly variable in their tendency to spread; this is related to both the species and the soil and climate conditions. Soil, often typeset as SOiL, is a four piece rock band from Chicago Illinois United States founded by Shaun Glass Tom Schofield Tim King and Adam Zadel Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of Some can send out runners of several meters a year, while others can stay in the same general area for long periods. If neglected, over time they can cause problems by moving into adjacent areas.

Bamboos seldom and unpredictably flower, and the frequency of flowering varies greatly from species to species. Once flowering takes place, a plant will decline and often die entirely. Seeds collected from a flowering may be used to rebuild a species, but flowering can also introduce unexpected alterations in the characteristics of the bamboo, so that new variants ("sports") are created instead. There are a number of interesting types of bamboo which did not exist several decades ago that have been introduced as a result of flowering. Seeds generally have a relatively short period of viability (3-12 months). Germination rates can often be improved by use of cold stratification, which involves refrigerating the seeds for a period of 4-8 weeks before planting. Although there are always a few species of bamboo in flower at any given time, collectors desiring to grow specific bamboo typically obtain their plants as divisions of already-growing plants, rather than waiting for seeds to be produced.

Once established as a grove, it is difficult to completely remove bamboo without digging up the entire network of underground rhizomes. If bamboo must be removed, an alternative to digging it up is to cut down the culms, and then repeatedly mow down new shoots as they arise, until the root system exhausts its energy supply and dies. If any leaves are allowed to photosynthesize, the bamboo survives and may continue spreading. Chemical methods involving herbicides are also used to control bamboo.

There are two main ways to prevent the spread of running bamboo into adjacent areas. The first method is rhizome pruning or "edging", which involves removing any rhizomes escaping the desired bamboo area. Pruning shears, shovels, and pickaxes are useful tools for this task. Under typical soil conditions the rhizomes are generally very close to the surface(usually within 0-3 inches, sometimes as deep as a foot). Rhizome pruning maintenance should be done at least once per year, but better is to check in the spring, summer, and fall. Some species may be deep running (beyond typical spade depth). These are much harder to control and deeper cuts will need to be made. Regular maintenance will indicate major growth directions and locations. Once the rhizomes are cut, they are typically removed; however, rhizomes take a number of months to mature and an immature, severed rhizome will usually cease growing if left in-ground. If any bamboo shoots come up outside of the bamboo area afterwards, their presence indicates the precise location of the missed rhizome. The fibrous roots that radiate from the rhizomes do not grow up to be more bamboo so if they stay in the ground, that's not a problem.

The second way to control growth is by surrounding the plant or grove with a physical barrier. Warning: This method is very detrimental to ornamental bamboo as the bamboo within quickly becomes rootbound--showing all the signs of any unhappy, containerized plant. Symptoms include rhizomes escaping over the top, down underneath, and bursting the barrier. The bamboo within generally deteriorates in quality as fewer and fewer culms grow each year, culms live shorter periods, new culm diameter decreases, fewer leaves grow on the culms, and leaves turn yellow as the unnaturally contained rootmass quickly depletes the soil of nutrients, and curling leaves as the condensed roots cannot collect the water they need to sustain the foliage. Concrete and specially-rolled HDPE plastic are the usual materials used. This is placed in a 60-90 cm (2-3 feet) deep ditch around the planting, and angled out at the top to direct the rhizomes to the surface. (This is _only_ possible if the barrier is installed in a straight line. ) Strong rhizomes and tools can penetrate plastic barriers with relative ease, so great care must be taken. Barriers usually fail sooner or later, or the bamboo within suffers greatly. Casual observation of many failed barriers has shown bursting of 60 mil HDPE in 5-6 years, and rhizomes diving underneath in as few as 3 years post install. In small areas regular maintenance is the only perfect method of controlling the spreading bamboos. Bamboo in barriers is much more difficult to remove than free-spreading bamboo. Barriers and edging are unnecessary for clump-forming bamboos. Clump-forming bamboos may eventually need to have portions removed if they get too large.

Uses

Culinary

A grove of giant bamboo in Ecuador

Edible bamboo shoots in a Japanese market

Main article: Bamboo shoot

The shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of bamboo, called zhú sǔn (simplified: 竹笋; traditional: 竹筍) or simply sǔn (笋) in Chinese, are edible. Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Bamboo shoots are the edible Shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground of Bamboo species Bambusa vulgaris and Phyllostachys They are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths, and are available in supermarkets in various sliced forms, both fresh and canned version. Bamboo shoot tips are called zhú sǔn jiān (竹笋尖) or simply sǔn jiān (笋尖). A health warning is appropriate in the case of the shoots of the giant bamboo, as they contain cyanide. Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily Despite this, the Golden Bamboo Lemur is able to ingest quantities of the toxin that would kill a human several times over, without ill effects. The Golden Bamboo Lemur or Golden Lemur ( Hapalemur aureus) is a medium sized Bamboo lemur endemic to southeastern Madagascar.

In Indonesia they are sliced thinly and then boiled with santan (thick coconut milk) and spices to make a dish named gulai rebung. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Other recipes using bamboo shoots are sayur lodeh (mixed vegetables in coconut milk) and lun pia (sometimes written lumpia: fried wrapped bamboo shoots with vegetables). Lumpia/h are Pastries of the Philippines and Indonesia of Chinese origin and are similar to Spring rolls The term lumpia Note that the shoots of some species contain toxins that need to be leached or boiled out before they can be eaten safely.

Pickled bamboo, used as a condiment, may also be made from the pith of the young shoots. Pith is a light substance that is found in Vascular plants It consists of soft spongy Parenchyma cells and is located in the center of the stem.

The sap of young stalks tapped during the rainy season may be fermented to make ulanzi (a sweet wine) or simply made into a soft drink. Zhúyèqīng jiǔ (竹葉青酒) is a green-coloured Chinese liquor that has bamboo leaves as one of its ingredients. See also Chinese wine Baijiu, or shaojiu ( 烧[[wiktionary 酒|酒]] is a Chinese distilled Alcoholic

Bamboo leaves are also used as wrappers for zongzi, a steamed dumpling typical of southern China, which usually contains glutinous rice and other ingredients. Zong, or zongzi is a traditional Chinese food, made of Glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in Bamboo China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

The empty hollow in the stalks of larger bamboo is often used to cook food in many Asian cultures. Soups are boiled and rice is cooked in the hollows of fresh stalks of bamboo directly over a flame. Similarly, steamed tea is sometimes rammed into bamboo hollows to produce compressed forms of Pu-erh tea. Tea bricks (traditional Chinese 磚[[wikt 茶|茶]] simplified Chinese 砖[[wikt 茶|茶]] zhūan chá or compressed tea (traditional 緊[[wikt Pu-erh, Pu'er tea, Puer tea or Bolay tea is a type of Tea made from a " large leaf " variety of the tea plant Camellia Cooking food in bamboo is said to give the food a subtle but distinctive taste.

In Sambalpur, India, the tender shoots are grated into julliens and fermented to prepare kardi. Sambalpur is a city in the western region of Orissa. It is the headquarter of Sambalpur District. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word for Bamboo Shoot "karira". This fermented Bamboo Shoot is used in various culinary preparations, notably "amil", a sour vegetable soup. It is also made into pancakes using rice flour as a binding agent. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many The Shoots that has turned a little fiberous is fermented dried and grounded to sand size particles to prepare a garnish known as "Hendua". It is also cooked with tender Pumpkin leaves to make Sag "Green Leaves" a green leaves recipe.

In addition, bamboo is frequently used for cooking utensils within many cultures. In modern times, some see bamboo tools as an eco-friendly alternative to other manufactured utensils. ^[12]

Medicine

Bamboo is used in Chinese medicine for treating infections. It is also a low calorie source of potassium. In Ayurveda, the Indian system of traditional medicine, the silicious concretion found in the culms of the bamboo stem is called banslochan. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other It is known as tabashir or tawashir in Unani-Tibb the Indo-Persian system of Medicine. In English this concretion is called "bamboo manna". This concretion is said to be a tonic for the respiratory diseases. This concretion, which was earlier obtained from Melocanna bambusoides is very hard to get now and has been largely replaced by synthetic silcic acid. In most Indian literature, Bambusa arundinacea is described as the source of bamboo manna (Puri, 2003).

Other

A "Bamboo Cathedral" in Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago

Bamboo scaffolding can reach great heights. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ˈtrɪnɪdæd ən təˈbeɪgoʊ is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American Scaffolding is a temporary framework used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures

Chinese bamboo carving, late Qing Dynasty. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China

Bicycle frame made of bamboo (1896)

Making a bamboo mill in the Yangshuo countryside, Guanxi, China (March 2007)

When treated, bamboo forms a very hard wood which is both lightweight and exceptionally durable. The bicycle, cycle, or bike is a pedal-driven, human-powered vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind Guānxi describes the basic dynamic in the complex nature of personalized networks of influence and social relationships and is a central concept in Chinese China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National In tropical climates it is used in elements of house construction, as well as for fences, bridges, toilets, walking sticks, canoes, tableware, furniture, chopsticks, food steamers, toys, bicycles, construction scaffolding, as a substitute for steel reinforcing rods in concrete construction, hats, and martial arts weaponry, including fire arrows, flame throwers and rockets. Bridges is the plural form of Bridge. People Bridges is the Family name of Alicia Bridges, See also Toilet A washroom, public toilet, public convenience, comfort room, toilet room, bathroom, water closet " Walking stick " may also refer to a stick insect, of the Order Phasmatodea, which uses camouflage to resemble a stick or twig A canoe is a small narrow Boat, typically human-powered though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors Furniture is the Mass noun for the movable objects which may support the human body (seating furniture and beds, provide storage or hold objects on horizontal Scaffolding is a temporary framework used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures Concrete is a construction material composed of Cement (commonly Portland cement) as well as other cementitious materials such as Fly ash and Slag Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. The Fire Arrow is a projectile weapon that uses Black powder. A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of Fire. This article is about the traditional Rocket Festival of Laos and Thailand for another meaning see Rocket Festival Spain A Rocket Festival Also, abaci and various musical instruments such as the dizi, xiao, shakuhachi, palendag, jinghu, and angklung. An abacus, also called a counting frame, is a calculating tool used primarily by Asians for performing arithmetic processes The dizi ( is a Chinese Transverse flute. It is also sometimes known as the di ( 笛) or hengdi ( 橫[[wiktionary The xiao ( is a Chinese vertical End-blown flute. It is generally made of dark brown Bamboo (called "purple bamboo" in Chinese The is a Japanese end-blown Flute. Its name means "18 feet" referring to its size Also called Pulalu ( Manabo) and ( Mansaka) Palandag ( Bagobo) Pulala ( Bukidnon) and Lumundeg ( Banuwaen) The jinghu ( 京胡; Pinyin: jīnghú is a Chinese bowed String instrument in the Huqin family used primarily Angklung is a musical instrument made out of two Bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame The Bamboo Organ of Las Piñas, Philippines has pipes made of bamboo culms. The Las Piñas Bamboo Organ, in the Parish Church of St Joseph in Las Piñas City, Philippines, is a nineteenth-century Church organ made almost The City of Las Piñas ( Filipino: Lungsod ng Las Piñas) (population 472780 2000 Census is a city in the National The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Bamboo is the traditional material used for fly fishing rods. Fly fishing is a distinct and ancient Angling method most renowned as a method for catching Trout and Salmon, but employed today for a wide variety of When bamboo is harvested for wood, care is needed to select mature stems that are several years old, as first-year stems, although full sized, are not fully developed and are not as strong as more mature stems.

Bamboo is also widely carved for decorative artwork. Modern companies are attempting to popularize bamboo flooring made of bamboo pieces steamed, flattened, glued together, finished, and cut. Bamboo floors are manufactured from the Bamboo plant The majority of today's bamboo flooring products originate in China and other portions of Asia. However, bamboo wood is easily infested by wood-boring insects unless treated with wood preservatives or kept very dry (see carving, right).

Bamboo canes are normally round in cross-section, but square canes can be produced by forcing the young culms to grow through a tube of square cross-section slightly smaller than the culm's natural diameter, thereby constricting the growth to the shape of the tube. Every few days the tube is removed and replaced higher up the fast-growing culm.

The fiber of bamboo has been used to make paper in China since early times. Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National A high quality hand-made paper is still produced in small quantities. Coarse bamboo paper is still used to make spirit money in many Chinese communities.

The wood is used for knitting needles and the fiber can be used for yarn and fabrics. "Knit" redirects here See also KNIT and Knitted fabric. This article is about the fiber product For the type of joke see Shaggy dog story. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Bamboo fabric is notable for its soft feel and claims of natural antibacterial properties. ^[13] Clothing made from bamboo fiber is popular for activities such as yoga. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bed sheets and towels made from bamboo have become luxury items. Sharpened bamboo is also traditionally used to tattoo in Japan, Hawaii and elsewhere.

A complete opium smoking "layout" including a bamboo opium pipe. An opium pipe is a pipe designed for the vaporization and inhalation of Opium.

Bamboo is used for the stems of traditional Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese smoking pipes, and was also utilized for crafting the stems of opium pipes. A pipe is a tool used for Smoking. The designs of pipes vary considerably but for the most part they are reusable and consist of a chamber or bowl in which the substance to An opium pipe is a pipe designed for the vaporization and inhalation of Opium.

A variety of species of bamboo was one of about two dozen plants carried by Polynesian voyagers to provide all their needs settling new islands; in the Hawaiian Islands, among many uses, ʻOhe (bamboo) carried water, made irrigation troughs for taro terraces, was used as a traditional knife for cutting the umbilical cord of a newborn, as a stamp for dyeing bark tapa cloth, and for four hula instruments — nose flute, rattle, stamping pipes and Jew's harp. Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller Schizostachyum is a tall or shrub-like tropical Genus of Bamboo. Taro (from Tahitian or other Polynesian languages) more rarely kalo (from Hawaiian) and gabi in The Philippines, is a Tapa cloth (or simply tapa) is a bark cloth made in the islands of the Pacific Ocean, primarily in Tonga and Samoa, but as far afield as Hula (ˈhuːlə is a dance form accompanied by chant or song It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there The Jew's harp, juice harp, jaw harp, mouth harp, Ozark harp, or marranzano pancake is thought to be one of the oldest Musical

Some skateboard and snowboard deck manufacturers as well as surfboard builders are beginning to use bamboo construction. It is both lighter and stronger than traditional materials and its cultivation is environmentally friendly. At least one snow ski manufacturing company, Liberty Skis, now uses bamboo construction for these reasons. Liberty Skis Corporation is one the ski industry's largest independent ski manufacturers and a leader in the manufacture of Twin-tip skis, used primarily for a style of skiing ^[14]

Bamboo has been used in the construction of fishing rods since the mid 1800s. However, following the invention of fiberglass and graphite, bamboo use in fishing rods has declined dramatically. There is something of a resurgence of the use of bamboo, particularly for bamboo fly rods as demonstrated by some companies because of their aesthetics and impact on the environment.

Woven Bamboo Basket kept for sale in K R Market, Bangalore, India

Bamboo is also used to make enclosures in fish farming, where cages can be made from a wooden frame and bamboo lattices. Bangalore ( officially Bengaluru ( Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

A single shoot of Bamboo can also be made into a didgeridoo, a wind instrument that is indigenous to Australia. The didgeridoo (also known as a didjeridu or didge) is a wind instrument of the Indigenous Australians of northern Australia.

Bamboo has gained increasing popularity in the culinary world as a material for cutting boards, as they are hard enough to withstand years of knife abuse, yet more forgiving to the knife blade, causing less damage to the edged utensils over time.

In Indonesia, bamboo has been used for making various kinds of musical instruments. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The most popular ones are the kolintang and the angklung. Kulintang is a modern term for an instrumental form of music composed on a row of small horizontally-laid Gongs that function melodically accompanied by larger suspended Angklung is a musical instrument made out of two Bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame

Recently, a technic of making bamboo fibre from bamboo pulp has taken advance in East Asian countries,the industry will benefit many properties of this kind of clothing. Bamboo fibre is a textile fibre fabricated from natural Bamboo and other additives and is made from the pulp of bamboo plants

Bamboo in human culture

Bamboo, by Xu Wei, Ming Dynasty. Xu Wei ( 1521—1593 was a Ming Chinese painter, poet and dramatist famed for his artistic expressiveness The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led

Bamboo's long life makes it a Chinese symbol of longevity, while in India it is a symbol of friendship. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The rarity of its blossoming has led to the flowers' being regarded as a sign of impending famine. Bamboo blossom is a natural phenomenon in which the bamboos of a place will blossom and become hung with bamboo seeds This may be due to rats feeding upon the profusion of flowers, then multiplying and destroying a large part of the local food supply. The most recent flowering began in May 2006 (see Mautam). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Mautam ( Mizo, ’bamboo death’ also spelt mautaam) is a cyclic ecological phenomenon that occurs every 48 years in the northeastern Indian Bamboo is said to bloom in this manner only about every 50 years (see 28–60 year examples in FAO: 'gregarious' species table).

In Chinese culture, the bamboo (zhú 竹), plum blossom (méi 梅), orchid (lán 蘭), and chrysanthemum (jú 菊) (usually, méi lán zhú jú 梅蘭竹菊) are collectively referred to as the Four Noble Ones (四君子). A plum or gage is a stone fruit Tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. Chrysanthemums, often called 'mums' are a genus ( Chrysanthemum) of about 30 species of perennial Flowering plants in the family Asteraceae These four plants also represent the four seasons and, in Confucian ideology, four aspects of the junzi (君子 "prince" or "noble one"). 4 is the year 4 AD 4 or four may also refer to 4 (number 4 BC, the year 4 BC Four Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. A season is one of the major divisions of the Year, generally based on yearly periodic changes in Weather. Confucius ( lit " Master Kung " September 28, 551 BC - 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher Junzi ( Pinyin: Jūnzǐ was a term coined by Confucius to describe his ideal human The pine tree (松), the bamboo, and the plum blossom (sōng zhú méi 松竹梅) are also admired for their perseverance under harsh conditions, and are together known as the "Three Friends in Winter" (歲寒三友). This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation.

In Japan, a bamboo forest sometimes surrounds a Shinto shrine as part of a sacred barrier against evil. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. A Shinto shrine is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine" a Shinto Kami, and is usually characterized by the presence of a (also called Evil, in many cultures is used to describe acts or thoughts which are contrary to some particular religion Many Buddhist temples also have bamboo groves. Also, bamboo (také 竹) indicates something of the second rank, (as a sushi set or accommodations at a traditional Ryokan (inn)). In Japanese cuisine, is Vinegared Rice, usually topped with other ingredients including fish various meats and vegetables A is a type of Traditional Japanese Inn dating from the Edo period ( 1603 – 1868) when they served travelers along Japan's highways This comes from the Chinese phrase 松竹梅 (in Japanese, sho-chiku-bai), where pine (matsu 松) is of the first rank, and plum (ume 梅) is of the third. This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation.

A cylindrical bamboo brush holder or holder of poems on scrolls, created by Zhang Xihuang in the 17th century, late Ming or early Qing Dynasty. In the calligraphy of Zhang's style, the poem Returning to My Farm in the Field by the 4th century poet Tao Yuanming is incised on the holder. The art of Calligraphy is widely practiced and revered in the East Asian Civilizations that use or used Chinese characters. Translation Editions Meng Erdong ed Tao Yuanming Ji Yi Zhu ISBN 7-80626-064-1

Bamboo symbolizes the spirit of Vovinam (a Vietnamese martial arts): "cương nhu phối triển" (coordination between hard and soft (martial arts)). Vovinam Viêt Võ Dao is a Vietnamese martial art. Vovinam is practiced with and without Weapons It is based on the principle of harmony Hard and soft in Martial arts refer to the way techniques deal with the Force of an attack Bamboo also symbolizes the Vietnamese hometown and Vietnamese soul: the gentlemanlike, straightforwardness, hard working, optimism, unity and adaptableness. Furthermore, some scientists even regard that Vietnamese culture is bamboo culture. A Vietnamese proverb says: "When the bamboo is old, the bamboo sprouts appear", the meaning being Vietnam will never be annihilated; if the previous generation dies, the children take their place. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Therefore the Vietnam nation and Vietnamese value will be maintained and developed eternally.

The Bozo, an ethnic group in West Africa, are so named because boso means "bamboo house" in Bamana (Bambara) and the other West Mande languages. West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. The Bozo/Boso are traditional fisherpeople on the Niger River. To many people in Western Europe and North America, bamboo is a symbol of East Asia, while in fact many bamboo species grow naturally--and are used extensively in human culture--in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) Chinese scientist and polymath Shen Kuo (1031-1095) used the evidence of underground petrified bamboo found in the dry northern climate of Yan'an, Shanbei region, Shaanxi province to support his geological theory of gradual climate change. The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Events By Place Europe Edgar the Peaceable is crowned King of England. A polymath ( Greek polymathēs, πολυμαθής "having learned much" is a person whose knowledge is not restricted to one subject area Shen Kuo or Shen Kua ( (1031&ndash1095 style name Cunzhong and pseudonym Mengqi Weng, was a Polymathic Chinese In Geology, petrifaction or petrification is the process by which Organic material is converted into stone or a similar substance without Yan'an ( is a city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province in China. Shanbei (Chinese 陝[[wiktionary 北|北]] pinyin shǎnbei also spelled Shaanbei) is a region of northwestern China ( Postal map spelling: Shensi) is a north-central province of the People's Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit Climate change is any long-term significant change in the “average weather” that a given region experiences ^[15][16]

Myths and legends

Several Asian cultures, including that of the Andaman Islands, believe that humanity emerged from a bamboo stem. The Andaman Islands are a group of islands in the Bay of Bengal, and are part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory of India. In the Philippine creation myth, legend tells that the first man and the first woman each emerged from split bamboo stems on an island created after the battle of the elemental forces (Sky and Ocean). The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP In Malaysian legends a similar story includes a man who dreams of a beautiful woman while sleeping under a bamboo plant; he wakes up and breaks the bamboo stem, discovering the woman inside. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Japanese folktale "Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" (Taketori Monogatari) tells of a princess from the Moon emerging from a shining bamboo section. Japanese folklore is the Folklore of Japan. It is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism, the two primary religions in the country The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Japanese 竹取物語 Taketori Monogatari) is a 10th century Japanese folktale, also known as Hawaiian bamboo ('ohe) is a kinolau or body form of the Polynesian creator god Kāne Milohai. The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over In Hawaiian mythology, Kāne Milohai is the father of Kamohoali{{okina}}i, Pele (whom he exiled to Hawai{{okina}}i) Kapo, Nāmaka

Bamboo bonsai

Bamboo cane is also the weapon of Vietnamese legendary hero Thánh Gióng- who had grown up immediately and magically since the age of 3 years old because of his national liberating wish against Ân invaders. Bonsai (盆栽 literally "potted plant" is the art of Aesthetic miniaturization of Trees by growing them in containers

An ancient Vietnamese legend tells of a poor, young farmer who fell in love with his landlord's beautiful daughter. The farmer asked the landlord for his daughter's hand in marriage, but the proud landlord would not allow her to be bound in marriage to a poor farmer. The landlord decided to foil the marriage with an impossible deal; the farmer must bring him a "bamboo tree of one-hundred nodes". But Buddha appeared to the farmer and told him that such a tree could be made from one-hundred nodes from several different trees. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder Bụt gave to him four magic words to attach the many nodes of bamboo: "Khắc nhập, khắc xuất", which means "joined together immediately, fell apart immediately". The triumphant farmer returned to the landlord and demanded his daughter. Curious to see such a long bamboo, the landlord was magically joined to the bamboo when he touched it as the young farmer said the first two magic words. The story ends with the happy marriage of the farmer and the landlord's daughter after the landlord agreed to the marriage and asked to be separated from the bamboo.

Other aspects

Bamboo is the main food of the Giant Panda; it makes up 99% of the Panda's diet. The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to

Soft bamboo shoots, stems, and leaves are the major food source of the Giant Panda of China. The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

The plant marketed as "lucky bamboo" is actually an entirely unrelated plant, some people refer to it as the Gigi. Dracaena sanderiana. Dracaena sanderiana, known as Ribbon Dracaena, Lucky Bamboo, Belgian Evergreen or sometimes Ribbon Plant, is a species of Japanese knotweed is also sometimes mistaken for a bamboo. Japanese knotweed ( Fallopia japonica, syn Polygonum cuspidatum, Reynoutria japonica) is a large Herbaceous Perennial plant

Bamboo charcoal is made of bamboo by pyrolysis process. Bamboo charcoal is made up from pieces of Bamboo, which are taken from plants five years or older and burned inside an oven at temperatures over 800°  C. Pyrolysis is the Chemical decomposition of organic materials by heating in the absence of Oxygen or any other reagents except possibly Steam

The Bamboo Curtain was a colloquial name for the boundary of communist nations in eastern Asia during the Cold War. The Bamboo Curtain was the east Asian version of the Iron Curtain. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the

One of Thomas Edison's first commercially successful incandescent lamps used a filament of carbonized bamboo. The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general

References

• Puri, H. S. (2003) RASAYANA: Ayurvedic Herbs for Rejuvenation and Longivity. Taylor & Francis, London. (Banslochan pages 71-73)

External links

• American Bamboo Society
• Bamboo at the Open Directory Project
• Bamboo Resource
• NPR News 2007/08/20 - Bamboo Commercial Use Gains Attention
• Italian Bamboo Society