Biology:Pseudosasa japonica

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Short description: Species of grass

Pseudosasa japonica
Pseudosasa japonica6.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Pseudosasa
Species:
P. japonica
Binomial name
Pseudosasa japonica
(Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud.) Makino ex Nakai[1]
Synonyms
  • Arundinaria japonica Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud.
  • Sasa japonica (Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud.) Makino
  • Yadakeya japonica (Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud.) Makino[1][2]
  • Arundinaria japonica Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud.[1][2][3][4]

Pseudosasa japonica, the arrow bamboo[2] or metake,[3] is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, native to Japan and Korea. This vigorous bamboo forms thickets up to 6 m (20 ft) tall with shiny leaves up to 25 cm (9.8 in) long.[3] The culms are typically yellow-brown and it has palm-like leaves. The common name "arrow bamboo" results from the Japanese Samurai using its hard and stiff canes for their arrows.[5] It grows up to 4 cm (1.6 in) a day.[citation needed]

Cultivation

This cold hardy bamboo species (tolerant to 0 °F/−17.7 °C) grows well both in shade and full sun. Pseudosasa japonica does very well in containers and salty air near the ocean. Because it tends to be more shade tolerant than other bamboo species it is often used by gardeners as an understory to a tree-lined living fence.[5] In cultivation in the UK this species has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3][6]

Subspecies

  • Pseudosasa japonica var. japonica
  • Pseudosasa japonica var. tsutsumiana

References

Further reading

Wikidata ☰ Q527901 entry