| Guadua | |
|---|---|
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| Guadua angustifolia | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Bambusoideae |
| Tribe: | Bambuseae |
| Subtribe: | Guaduinae |
| Genus: | Guadua Kunth |
| Type species | |
| Guadua angustifolia[1][2] | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
BambusaMutis ex Caldas 1809, illegitimate homonym not Schreb. 1789 | |
Guadua is aNeotropicalgenus of thorny, clumpingbamboo in thegrass family, ranging from moderate to very large species.[4][2][5]
Physically,Guadua angustifolia is noted for being the largestNeotropical bamboo. The genus is similar toBambusa and is sometimes included in that genus. Several animals are, to a various extent, associated with stands ofGuadua bamboo, for example several species ofseedeaters, and theAmazon andAtlantic Bamboo Rats.[6]
The genus can be found in a wide range from northernMexico andTrinidad toUruguay, but most of the species are concentrated in theAmazon basin and theOrinoco basin. They usually grow at low altitudes (below 1,500 m), but has been found up to 2,500 m. Itshabitats include lowland tropical and lower-montane forest,savannas,Cerrados, gallery forest, and disturbed inter-Andean valley vegetation.
From a utilitarian perspective,Guadua is the most important American bamboo. Due to its quality, the genus has been widely used for house construction along the inter-Andean rivers ofColombia and in coastalEcuador.
Guadua angustifolia,endemic toTropical America, is slowly becoming well known once again as a building material. Highly appreciated bySimon Bolivar for its watershed protection and praised byAlexander von Humboldt for its wide variety of uses[citation needed], it is being used in construction today in South America.
Technical studies of bamboo's mechanical properties ("vegetable steel") have increased interest in its use. Although bamboo culms used for building can be harvested in natural forests,over-exploitation leads to the depletion of natural resources. For large-scale use ofGuadua angustifolia, the management of sustainable bamboo forests and groves, as well as the establishment of new nurseries and plantations, is a priority.
Tropical bamboo can be propagated with cuttings or by covering complete culms with soil. The next year, new plants will sprout. Or, manyGuadua species can be propagated more rapidly by thechusquin method. Under this method,culms are cut at ground level when harvesting causing many small shoots and new plants to grow around the original plant. This method is suitable for large-scale forests orfarm cooperatives. Since bamboo is a grass, harvesting it down to the soil induces more new shoots to emerge, just liketurf grass. This is a phenomenon not known intropical hardwood forests[citation needed].
Even more rapid methods have been recently[when?] developed through the use of tissue culture. Bamboo propagated in a laboratory in the space of one square meter will be sufficient to establish one hectare of new forest. These plants can also be readily transported in a one-half-cubic-meter box. Harvesting can begin six years after planting, making bamboo a potential source of tropical biomass production for industry (e.g., biofuels). Forarchitectural purposes,Guaduaangustifolia is the preferred bamboo species. Its diameter is constant for the first 15 meters and then tapers at the top. These features have attracted the attention ofcivil engineers,architects,academics, designers, and artists.
Environmentally,Guadua angustifolia is effective at removingcarbon dioxide from the atmosphere due to its fast growth[citation needed]; ongoing studies in Colombia have now been coordinated by theEnvironmental Bamboo Foundation.
German Fire Authorities testedGuadua angustifolia and, guided by the European Building Code, approved bamboo as a building material for the Guadua Pavilion atExpo 2000 inHanover. Bamboo construction is also reported to be earthquake-resistant. This concept has been studied in Ecuador by theInternational Bamboo and Rattan Organization and the Ecuadorian government.[7]Costa Rica reported similar experiences in earlier earthquakes there.[8]
seeArthrostylidiumAulonemiaBambusaChusqueaEremocaulonSphaerobambos
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