花巨竹 hua ju zhu

Bambusa verticillata Willdenow, Sp. Pl. 2: 245. 1799; Arundo maxima Loureiro (1790), not Forsskål (1775); B. maxima (Loureiro) Poiret; B. pseudoarundinacea Steudel; Gigantochloa maxima (Loureiro) Kurz; G. pseudoarundinacea (Steudel) Widjaja.

Culms 8–15 m, 7–10 cm in diam.; internodes yellow striate, 28–42 cm, white or brown hispid; wall ca. 1.6 cm thick. Branches several, central dominant. Culm sheaths deciduous, green, yellow striate initially, later brown, leathery, initially densely white hispid, margins ciliate; auricles minute, inconspicuous; oral setae absent; ligule ca. 3 mm, irregularly serrate or fimbriate; blade reflexed. Leaf sheath initially pubescent; ligule 5–10 mm, entire; blade 24–47 × 3.5–7 cm. Inflorescence unknown.

Tropical rain forests; 500–800 m. Hong Kong, S Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].

The application of names to this bamboo has been contentious and it is widely known as Gigantochloa pseudoarundinacea. Further study of types is required.

This species is widely planted as an ornamental.