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Useful Tropical Plants

Valiha diffusa

S.Dransf.

Poaceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name:

Valiha diffusa
The arching stems of a plant growing in Mantady Park, Madagascar
Photograph by: scott.zona
Creative Commons License
Valiha diffusa Valiha diffusa Valiha diffusa

General Information

Valiha diffusa is an evergreen bamboo producing solitary culms from an elongated rhizome. The erect, slender culms can be 6 - 10 metres long and 6 - 10cm in diameter; the internodes are thin-walled, 40 - 80cm long[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The plant is a locally useful source of construction material, often gathered from the wild. It is a plentiful resource, and is actually spreading and increasing, but because it produces somewhat isolated culms and does not form clumps it is somewhat difficult to harvest[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Africa - Madagascar.

Habitat

The plant was formerly restricted to primary forest, at elevations up to 700 metres, but it has become more widespread and now also occurs on open hills and in valleys, often together with Ravenala madagascariensis[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitBamboo
Height8.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



The plant does not respond well to excessive harvesting of the stems[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The stems are used for weaving. After harvesting, they are split on one side and flattened, then they are woven into mats that are used in the construction of walls and roofs[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]

The stems are used for light construction, for making fences, and for carrying and storing water[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. Formerly they were used for making a traditional musical instrument, the tube zither known in Madagascar as 'valiha'. Nowadays this instrument is made from other bamboo species with longer internodes[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-05. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Valiha+diffusa>

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