5. AMPELOCALAMUS

Clump-forming thornless pendulous to scrambling bamboos, up to 12m tall, with long culm internodes of up to more than 40cm, no cross-veins on the leaves, short broad buds and long pendulous culm tips. This genus is quite similar in appearance to the other medium stature subtropical clump-forming pendulous genera, Cephalostachyum and Teinostachyum, although their branches and inflorescences show that they are not closely related. Culm nodes may be substantially thickened or modified into a flange

for support on tree branches. They can be distinguished from Cephalostachyum, Teino- stachyum, Drepanostachyum and Himalaya- calamus by their long internodes, and more knobbly branches, which are all similar in size and are arranged in vertical groups. The branches curve outwards from the culm and have swollen bases, and larger branches may bear aerial roots. Most species are restricted to small areas of China, but one species extends from Vietnam and Yunnan along the Himalayas as far as central Nepal.