quantities, as scaffolding and for weaving into panels used for low cost housing. They are generally a little too large for village use, and the heavy branching makes them difficult to split by hand. They are reserved for a few uses such as making pillars and beams. This is an adaptable species, widespread across West Bengal and Assam, and it grows well from Calcutta up to around 1,600m. It tolerates drier conditions better than many bamboos, but can suffer from the bamboo blight syndrome on waterlogged sites. The large size of this species along with its thorny branchlets make it a good choice for slope stabilisation. The large branches make it easy to propagate from culm cuttings.
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