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Gramineae is the
family of the Bamboo which is the longest grass in the world.
Well the length does vary from as short as 30 centimetres to a
100 feet or 40 metres.
A bamboo is
basically hollow from the inside. It has nodes at regular
intervals; its stem is also called the culm that shoots out with
oval leaves in winter. They are basically woody in nature and
fall under the evergreen plant category.
20 years on an average is the life span of the bamboo plant and
it flowers every 7 years or 120 years, depending on the type of
bamboo. |
However the best part is
that bamboo of any one particular specie will flower regardless of any
geographical location. In other words, an (a) type one type of bamboo
plant will flower wherever it is.
There are over 1000 species of bamboo. They can grow anywhere regardless
of the climate. So be it the Himalayas or the hot equator climate, the
Sahara desert or south America, bamboos are found everywhere.
Bamboos are also known as garden plants. They are used in the corners of
the garden while they are also used for the fence. However the
misdemeanour of bamboo precedes its reputation. It is known for its
invasiveness through their roots. Bamboos spread in two different ways.
One is called clumping while the other is called running. Clumping
species of bamboo spread their roots slowly while the running specie is
known to spread runners extending to a hundred meters within a year.
Hence be very careful when you plant a bamboo even though it is a garden
plant, you wouldn’t want your garden full of them.
Bamboo shoots are also used in culinary. Chopsticks were originally made
from bamboo. The shoots are either fried or boiled in coconut milk in
Indonesia. However some bamboo shoots contain poison so they have to be
cleaned thoroughly before eating. Hence they are boiled for hours and
then added to the main dish.
Known for its toughness bamboo is used for housing purposes. They are
used as rooftops, doors, flooring. Its toughness stands the test of time
and weather. However it is easily infested by insects and hence has to
be treated with wood polish from time to time.
In India bamboo flooring is much publicized. They are treated bamboos
that are cut and stuck together giving your home a designer look. They
are also used to make bridges, canoes, toys, furniture, construction
scaffolding, etc.
A keen eye has also been given to the decorative purpose that bamboo
yields. As many things can be conjured out of it and used to beautify
homes.
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