Gigantochloa atter

Black bamboo
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Genus:	Gigantochloa
Species:	G. atter
Binomial name
Gigantochloa atter (Hassk.) Kurz
Synonyms [1]
Bambusa atterKurz [Invalid] Bambusa thouarsii var. atterHassk.

Gigantochloa atter, also know as black bamboo, sweet bamboo, or giant atter, is a bamboo species belonging to the genus Gigantochloa . It grows up to 20 meters tall. It is native to Island Southeast Asia, but has become naturalized all over South Asia. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Appearance

The culm is green with purple patches when young, which becomes purplish black when mature, and turns greyish purple when drying. The surface is smooth and glossy. Young shoots are purplish pink in color with green blades on culm sheaths. The culm is straight. Branching occurs only at the top. Internode length is 45–60 cm, and diameter is 5–10 cm.

Culm sheath is purplish pink with green blades in young plants, and turns dark brown when mature. It is triangular with a conical blade. Length of the sheath proper is 24–27 cm in length and 40–45 cm wide. Blade length is 4–7 cm. Auricles absent. Upper surface of the sheath covered with black hairs. Lower surface of the sheath is not hairy. Sheaths fall off early.

References

1. "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species" . Retrieved 3 April 2015.
2. Fern, Ken. "Gigantochloa atter". Useful Tropical Plants. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
3. "Gigantochloa atter".
4. "Gigantochloa Atter bamboo – Qundembo Bamboo Nursery". bamboonursery.com.

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