Scientific name

Phyllostachys nigra (Lodd. ex Lindl.) Munro

Synonyms

Bambusa nigra Lodd. ex Lindl.

Common names

Bamboo, black bamboo, timber bamboo

Family

Poaceae (Gramineae)

Origin

Native to southern China.

Naturalised distribution (global)

Locations within which Phyllostachys nigra is naturalised include Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and La Réunion.

Introduced, naturalised or invasive in East Africa

Phyllostachys nigra is invasive in parts of Tanzania (Tropical Biology Association 2010). The editors are not aware of records of the presence of P. nigra in Kenya and Uganda, though this does not necessarily mean that it is absent from these countries.

Habitat

An occasional weed of riparian zones (banks of watercourses), disturbed sires, waste areas, roadsides, gardens and urban bushland in subtropical and warmer temperate environments.

Description

Phyllostachys nigra is an upright (erect) bamboo with stems growing 3-7 m tall. Plants spread rapidly forming loose clumps via creeping underground stems (rhizomes) that produce upright stems (canes) from their joints (nodes).

The upright stems (erect canes) are greenish when young but turn blackish or purplish-black in colour as they age. These stems (usually 1-4 cm thick) are banded with horizontal rings at the joints (nodes) and are grooved lengthwise (longitudinally) between the joints (the internodes).

The leaves are alternately arranged, but clustered on short shoots which grow from the branches. They have a sheath surrounding the stem and the base of the leaf blade is very narrow, and stalk-like in appearance (pseudo-petiolate). The leaf sheaths are mostly hairless (glabrous), except near their margins. Where the leaf sheath meets the leaf blade there is a tiny membranous structure topped with hairs (the ligule is a ciliate membrane). The leaf blades (6-12 cm long and 9-15 mm wide) are oblong or elongated (lanceolate) in shape, have entire margins, and are mostly hairless (glabrous).

Flowers and seeds are very rarely, if ever, produced and so are not described here.

Reproduction and dispersal

This plant mainly reproduces vegetatively via suckers from its elongated creeping underground stems (rhizomes).

It spreads laterally from deliberate garden plantings into nearby bushland areas and its creeping underground stems (rhizomes) may also be dispersed in soil and dumped garden waste.

Similar species

Phyllostachys nigra is very similar to Phyllostachys bambusoides (madake) and Phyllostachys aurea (golden bamboo), and relatively similar to Arundo donax (giant reed). These species can be distinguished by the following differences:

• P. nigra has blackish or purplish-black coloured mature stems that are usually 1-4 cm thick. These stems have a distinctive groove running lengthwise from above where the side branches are produced. Its relatively small leaf blades (up to 12 cm long) have a short stalk-like (Pseudo-petiolate) constriction at their base and sometimes a few bristles (Setae) are present near the top of the leaf sheath. Flowers are very rarely produced.
• P. bambusoides has greenish or yellowish coloured mature stems that are usually 6-20 cm thick. These stems have a distinctive groove running lengthwise from above where the side branches are produced. Its relatively small leaf blades (up to 10 cm long) have a short stalk-like (Pseudo-petiolate) constriction at their base and several black bristles (Setae) are present near the top of the leaf sheath. Flowers are very rarely produced.
• P. aurea has greenish-yellow or golden coloured mature stems that are usually 2-3 cm thick. These stems have a distinctive groove running lengthwise from above where the side branches are produced. Its relatively small leaf blades (up to 15 cm long) have a short stalk-like (Pseudo-petiolate) constriction at their base and sometimes a few bristles (Setae) are present near the top of the leaf sheath. Flowers are very rarely produced.
• A. donax has greenish coloured stems that are up to 4 cm thick. These stems are rounded and do not have any lengthwise grooves. Its very large leaves (up to 80 cm long) are not constricted at the base of the leaf blade. Flowers are regularly borne in very large, feathery, whitish coloured open panicles at the tops of the stems (Culms).

Economic and other uses

Widely cultivated as a garden ornamental.

Environmental and other impacts

Phyllostachys nigra forms dense stands, excluding other vegetation. It has been listed as a noxious weed in New South Wales Australia.

Management

The precise management measures adopted for any plant invasion will depend upon factors such as the terrain, the cost and availability of labour, the severity of the infestation and the presence of other invasive species. Some components of an integrated management approach are introduced below.

The best form of invasive species management is prevention. If prevention is no longer possible, it is best to treat the weed infestations when they are small to prevent them from establishing (early detection and rapid response). Control is generally best applied to the least infested areas before dense infestations are tackled. Consistent follow-up work is required for sustainable management.

Mechanical clearing can be effective followed by chemical treatment as plants regrow. Spraying is very difficult for tall plants but basal stem application can be effective. When using any herbicide always read the label first and follow all instructions and safety requirements. If in doubt consult an expert. Fire can be used as a management tool.

The editors could find no information on any biological control agents for this species.

Legislation

Not listed as a noxious weed by the state or governments in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

References

Global Compendium of Weeds. www.hear.org/gcw. Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk Project. Accessed March 2011.

Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/index.html. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, National Genetic Resources Program, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Accessed March 2011.

Lazarides, M., Cowley, K. and Hohnen, P. (1997). CSIRO Handbook of Australian Weeds. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria.

Tropical Biology Association (2010). Usambara Invasive Plants - Amani Nature Reserve - www.tropical-biology.org/research/dip/species.htm.

Editors

Agnes Lusweti, National Museums of Kenya; Emily Wabuyele, National Museums of Kenya, Paul Ssegawa, Makerere University; John Mauremootoo, BioNET-INTERNATIONAL Secretariat - UK.

Acknowledgments

This fact sheet is adapted from The Environmental Weeds of Australia by Sheldon Navie and Steve Adkins, Centre for Biological Information Technology, University of Queensland. We recognise the support from the National Museums of Kenya, Tropical Pesticides Research Institute (TPRI) - Tanzania and Makerere University, Uganda. This activity was undertaken as part of the BioNET-EAFRINET UVIMA Project (Taxonomy for Development in East Africa).

Contact

BioNET-EAFRINET Regional Coordinator: [email protected]