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Black bamboo (Gigantochloa atroviolacea)

Pring wulung or black bamboo (Gigantochloa atroviolacea) is a plant species in Poaceae, black and sturdy bamboo, growing in large, dense and upright clumps which are often used as material for making musical instruments, furniture, household utensils and handicrafts.

G. atroviolacea has green-black bamboo shoots with orange tips, covered with brown to black hairs. The reed grows straight and upright, 15 meters high, the segments 40-50 cm long and the walls 8 mm thick.

Dlium Black bamboo (Gigantochloa atroviolacea)


The reeds are dark green when young, turning greenish purple to dark brown with patches of pale or whitish rings on the joints with few aerial roots. Many branches, usually appearing at a height of 2-3 meters above the ground and one larger than the other.

The reed fronds fall off easily, except that the lowest one often persists, 16-20 cm long, has burly hair and is dark brown on the outside. The leaves of the reed are egg-shaped or oblong with a triangle with a narrow base, 4-9 cm long and curl back.

The frond ears are round with a slightly curved tip, 4 mm wide, 3-5 mm high and 7 mm long curved hair. The ligula is serrated irregular, 2 mm high and locos.

Leaves on twigs are lanceolate, 20-28 cm long, 2-5 cm wide and locos. Leaf midrib covered with whitish hairs when young. Frond ears up to 1 mm and lokos. The ligula is serrated, 2 mm high and locos.







Inflorescences in the form of panicles on leafy twigs with clusters of up to 18 spikelets on each segment. The spikelet is oval lanceolate, 8-11 cm long, 3 mm wide, 4 perfect florets and one flawless tip floret.

Black bamboo lives in humid tropical regions with rainfall of 1500-3700 mm per year, humidity of more than 70% and temperatures of 20-32C. Generally grows on latosol soils, red laterite and reddish brown, but prefers drier chalky soils.

The density of wet reeds is 0.37-0.48 and dry is 0.65. Dry reed moisture content is 16.8%. Black bamboo is used as a material for making musical instruments, household items, furniture, halls, handicrafts and various types of weaving. Bamboo shoots are often cooked as a vegetable.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Bambusoideae
Tribe: Bambuseae
Subtribe: Bambusinae
Genus: Gigantochloa
Species: Gigantochloa atroviolacea

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