Chusquea
Encyclopedia
Chusquea is a genus
of bamboo
with about 150 species. Most of them are mountain clumping bamboo
s native from southern Mexico
to southern Chile
and Argentina
. They are sometimes referred to as South American mountain bamboos. Unlike most other bamboos, the stems of these species are solid, not hollow. Some animals are, to various extents, associated with stands of Chusquea, for example the Inca Wren
and the Plushcap
.
, from southern Chile and adjacent western Argentina
, is notable as the most frost
-tolerant South American bamboo and the only one that has been grown successfully to any extent in the temperate
northern hemisphere, with successful growth as an ornamental plant
north to Scotland
. The Colihue cane was used by the Mapuche
s Indians to make instruments and as lances during the War of Arauco.
Chusquea quila
(in Spanish Quila), in contrast to Colihue, has a spreading or vining growth. It prefers wet places and does not grow above 500 metres (1,640.4 ft), where C. coleou becomes more dominant. Chusquea quila can form pure stands called Quilantales. Very few plants can grow under this species.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
with about 150 species. Most of them are mountain clumping bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
s native from southern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to southern Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. They are sometimes referred to as South American mountain bamboos. Unlike most other bamboos, the stems of these species are solid, not hollow. Some animals are, to various extents, associated with stands of Chusquea, for example the Inca Wren
Inca Wren
The Inca Wren is a species of bird in the Troglodytidae family. It is endemic to Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.-References:...
and the Plushcap
Plushcap
-Introduction:The Plushcap is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family. It is the only member of its genus Catamblyrhynchus....
.
Species
Chusquea culeou, the Colihue caneChusquea culeou
Chusquea culeou is a gramineae perennial bush of the bamboo subfamilly that grows in the humid temperate forests of Chile and southwestern Argentina....
, from southern Chile and adjacent western Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, is notable as the most frost
Frost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
-tolerant South American bamboo and the only one that has been grown successfully to any extent in the temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
northern hemisphere, with successful growth as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
north to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The Colihue cane was used by the Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
s Indians to make instruments and as lances during the War of Arauco.
Chusquea quila
Chusquea quila
Chusquea quila is a perennial bamboo that grows in the humid temperate forests of Chile and Argentina.In contrast to most bamboos, it grows as a dense, climbing or decumbent shrub. Its aerial culms are solid, unlike most bamboos, which have hollow culms...
(in Spanish Quila), in contrast to Colihue, has a spreading or vining growth. It prefers wet places and does not grow above 500 metres (1,640.4 ft), where C. coleou becomes more dominant. Chusquea quila can form pure stands called Quilantales. Very few plants can grow under this species.
Taxonomy
The genus includes:- Dendragrostis Jackson
- Rettbergia Raddi
- SwallenochloaSwallenochloaSwallenochloa is a former genus of grass in the Poaceae family. It is now included in Chusquea.-External links:*...
McClure - NeurolepisNeurolepisNeurolepis is a genus of bamboo. It has several species, found in South America . It is one of two genera in the subtribe Chusqueinae, the other being Chusquea; unlike that genus the stems of Neurolepis are hollow, like other bamboos...
Meissner
