Thamnocalamus tessellatus (Drakensberg
bamboo)
[= Arundinaria tessellata]
Drakensberg-bamboes [Afrikaans]
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae
(land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody
plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) >
Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Monocotyledons >
Order: Poales
> Family: Poaceae
Forms dense leafy clumps growing to a height of
3-4 m. Occurs in high altitude regions of the Drakensberg mountains
(Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Lesotho). Flowering
appears to happen at 45 year intervals (records from
Natal/KwaZulu-Natal for 1908, 1953 and 1998/99) (Palgrave and
Palgrave 2002).
Publications
- Palgrave, K.C. and Palgrave, M.C. 2002. Trees of Southern Africa.
3rd Edition. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.
- Soderstrom, T.R. & Ellis, R.P. 1982. Taxonomic
status of the endemic South African bamboo,
Arundinaria tessellata. Bothalia 14: 53–57.
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