Common Name:

General Information

Neololeba atra is an evergreen, clump-forming bamboo growing 5 - 8 metres tall. The erect, thin-walled culms are 12 - 25mm in diameter with internodes 40 - 60cm long[, ]. The plant often forms a dense layer of tangled stems, both living and dead, which is difficult to traverse even with the aid of a brushhook[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials for basket making etc. This species has a bright future for the handicraft industry. Because the culms are thin, only the skin is used, which guarantees a good handicraft quality. More research is needed on natural variability and appropriate cultivation methods[]. This is an attractive clumping species, not yet well known, which has potential in horticulture[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - ?Philippines, Indonesia (Molukus) to New Guinea and northern Australia.

Habitat

River banks, margins of disturbed lower montane forest, and on lower hill slopes, often on limestone; at low elevations[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Bamboo
Height	6.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Bamboos have an interesting method of growth. Each plant produces a number of new stems annually - these stems grow to their maximum height in their first year of growth, subsequent growth in the stem being limited to the production of new side branches and leaves. In the case of some mature tropical species the new stem could be as much as 30 metres tall, with daily increases in height of 30cm or more during their peak growth time. This makes them some of the fastest-growing species in the world[].
Bamboos in general are usually monocarpic, living for many years before flowering, then flowering and seeding profusely for a period of 1 - 3 years before usually dying. This species, however, is reported to flower regularly in cultivation without dying, though these specimens do not set seed[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The thin-walled culm is used locally in basketry and other handicrafts[, ].
The culm is used for making water pipes, arrow heads and as a casual drinking vessel[].
Strips of the culms are used as binding material in roofings, fish traps and screens[, ].

The dead canes of this species are useful when lighting camp fires, even in wet weather[].

Propagation

Seed -

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