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Useful Tropical Plants

Thyrsostachys oliveri

Gamble

Poaceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name:

Thyrsostachys oliveri
Drawing of the leaves and flowers
Photograph by: Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta, vol. 7: t. 50 (1891)
Creative Commons License

General Information

Thyrsostachys oliveri is an evergreen, perennial, clumping bamboo with short rhizomes. The erect culms can be 15 - 25 metres long; 50 - 70mm in diameter; with internodes 40 - 60cm long.
The culms are valued as a local source of material for construction. The seed is also eaten locally. In Thailand, the young shoots are harvested commercially for the production of steamed bamboo shoots, which are canned and exported[
361
Title
Bamboos of India: A Compendium
Publication
 
Author
Seethalakshmi K.K., Muktesh Kumar M.S.
Website
http://www.inbar.int/publication/txt/tr17/default.htm
Publisher
Brill.
Year
2002
ISBN
8186247254
Description
A very good book giving botanical descriptions of the plants with brief notes on subjects such as uses, habitat and range. It is also available to view on the Internet.
]. The plant is sometimes grown in villages and is also introduced in some parts of India[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Myanmar, Thailand.

Habitat

Forests on low hills, open areas; at elevations of 500 - 700 metres in southern China[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Moist hill forest; mixed or teak forest[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Bamboo
Height20.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, 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[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
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.

Edible Uses

Young shoots[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. A bitter flavour[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. The young shoots are commonly eaten in Thailand[
361
Title
Bamboos of India: A Compendium
Publication
 
Author
Seethalakshmi K.K., Muktesh Kumar M.S.
Website
http://www.inbar.int/publication/txt/tr17/default.htm
Publisher
Brill.
Year
2002
ISBN
8186247254
Description
A very good book giving botanical descriptions of the plants with brief notes on subjects such as uses, habitat and range. It is also available to view on the Internet.
].

Seeds[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
,
633
Title
Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. Vol. 7
Publication
 
Author
Gamble J.S.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Bengal Secretariat Press; Calcutta.
Year
1896
ISBN
 
Description
A very comprehensive listing of the bamboos of India, as they were known at the end of the 19th Century. Includes some information on plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

An excellent bamboo for construction purposes[
146
Title
A Manual of Indian Timbers.
Publication
 
Author
Gamble. J. S.
Publisher
Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
Year
1972
ISBN
-
Description
First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
,
633
Title
Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. Vol. 7
Publication
 
Author
Gamble J.S.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Bengal Secretariat Press; Calcutta.
Year
1896
ISBN
 
Description
A very comprehensive listing of the bamboos of India, as they were known at the end of the 19th Century. Includes some information on plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
], the culms are also used for reinforcing concrete blocks, basketry, handicrafts, broom handles etc[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
,
361
Title
Bamboos of India: A Compendium
Publication
 
Author
Seethalakshmi K.K., Muktesh Kumar M.S.
Website
http://www.inbar.int/publication/txt/tr17/default.htm
Publisher
Brill.
Year
2002
ISBN
8186247254
Description
A very good book giving botanical descriptions of the plants with brief notes on subjects such as uses, habitat and range. It is also available to view on the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed - when stored at room temperature, the seeds gradually lose viability over a period of 12 - 18 months[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. In cool storage at 2 - 4°c, good viability is retained for at least two years[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The seed is best sown fresh, when it germinates within days, with 90 - 95% of the seeds sprouting[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Rhizome cuttings. The cuttings are taken from 1-year-old culms and comprise a length of rhizome with roots plus a culm that can be up to 1 metre long. This is planted in a nursery for 2 - 3 months and then transplanted to the field in the rainy season. In general, 10 rhizome cuttings can be taken from a 5 - 6-year-old clump, retaining 4 - 5 one-year-old culms in the clump[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Thyrsostachys%20oliveri%20>

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