Bambusa arundinacea Wall.

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Britain in 1730.  [JD].  ‘It delights in a rich moist soil, such as the banks of rivulets and lakes, among the mountains.  It is unnecessary to mention the various purposes to which this most useful plant is applied in India, as they are already generally known.  Tabasheer or tabaxir of the Moors, Arabians, and Turks; Vedroo Paloo (milk of bamboo) of the Telingas; and Mungil Upoo (salt of bamboo) of the Tamuls; the substance so well described by Dr. Patrick Russell, in Vol. lxxx. of the Philosophical Transactions of London, is found in the cavities of the joints of this sort.  The Tamul physicians pretend that the root is a diluent; that the bark cures eruptions; and that the camphire, or salt (tabasheer) cures all paralytic complaints, as well as flatulencies, and poisons.  The leaves are esteemed a powerful emmenagogue; an opinion held also by the Chinese.  The seed is used for food, in the manner of rice.  [Roxburgh pl.79/1795-19].

History at Camden Park

Listed in all published catalogues [T.127/1843].

Notes

Other, less likely possibilities are:

Bambusa arundinacea Wight ex Steud. (1840) = Bambusa orientalis Nees.

Bambusa arundinacea Ait. (1769) = Bambusa vulgaris Nees.

Bambusa arundinacea Humb. & Bonpl. = Nastus borbonicus J.F.Gmel.

Bambusa arundinacea Retz. (1788).