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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Rainforest Plants - Bamboo


Rainforest Plants - Bamboo

FAMILY: Gramineae (Poaceae)

SUBFAMILY: Bambusoideae

TRIBE: Bambuseae

SUBTRIBE: bambusinae
Common names: bamboo

General Description: The plant family, Poaceae, includes various grasses all known as Bamboo. Bambusa vulgaris is the best known, being cultivated and distributed widely. It is a tropical bamboo that grows in clumps and is used for paper production.

Location: These grasses are mostly found in the tropics and in Asia where they are quite diverse.
Bamboo grows from rhizomes and usually in clusters that emerge from the thick trunk underground. This plant enjoys longevity, living from 12 to 120 years, during which it produces seeds only once. The seeds are an edible grain. The young shoots of some of the species may be cooked and consumed as vegetables, particularly in Chinese dishes.

Bamboo is occasionally cultivated; however, it is more commonly found growing in wild and protected areas. It is seen in large stands on alluvial flats, generally near water.

Uses: Bamboo was first identified in Madagascar in 1828; between that date and the first half of the 20th century, a total of 27 species was cataloged. Bamboo contributes significantly to the economy in Madagascar.

Locals use many of the species identified in building fences, making baskets, light construction, musical instruments and water containers. In Benin, Bamboo provides raw material for construction purposes. Bambusa vulgaris is the most common bamboo species growing naturally in the rainforest.

Bamboo is a natural erosion-control plant, very effectively reducing stream and riverbank erosion. However, environmentalists in Benin are concerned about exploiting and destroying rainforests; poor use of the land is a major cause of concern. The need for reforestation needs to be emphasized as much as maintaining and growing the economy.

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Rainforest Plants



Rainforest Plants - Introduction

The Tropical Rainforest is earth's most complex biome in terms of both structure and species diversity. It occurs under optimal growing conditions: abundant precipitation and year round warmth. There is no annual rhythm to the forest; rather each species has evolved its own flowering and fruiting seasons. Sunlight is a major limiting factor. A variety of strategies have been successful in the struggle to reach light or to adapt to the low intensity of light beneath the canopy.

The Tropical Rainforest has always been one of the most mysterious and adventurous place to visit. Throughout the whole world, only a few tropical countries are lucky to have tropical rainforest with them, these are Amazon tropical rainforest, Cameroon, Congo, Nigeria, Indonesia and Malaysia.

When travelling in the tropical rainforest, it's adventurous and mysterious; we definitely want to think about our own safety. Amazon and Africa Tropical rainforest system are similar to the one in Malaysia and Indonesia, but for safety reasons, we always encourage visitors or tourists to visit the 3rd largest island in the world - Borneo.

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