Discover a new type of North American bamboo

Two botanists studying at Iowa State University and their colleagues at the University of North Carolina discovered another North American bamboo species in the Appalachia hills. This is the third known native cold grass, two of which were discovered more than 200 years ago.

Bamboo hill

Lynnn Clark, professor of ecology, evolutionary biology and biology and graduate student Jimmy Triplett studies the diversity and evolution of bamboo, although this new plant is known to people in the region. But it still hasn't discovered its distinctive characteristics.

This type of plant is different from the previous two types of bamboo at a very important point that it falls in the fall , while the other two are soft branches and in the river areas. That's why it looks quite different and is a rare deciduous bamboo.

Clark is an internationally recognized bamboo expert and interested in his work, she has discovered more than 74 new bamboo species, most of them in Central and South America.

Her 75th discovery is named Arundinaria appalachiana - ie bamboo appalachiana . Professor Clark, Triplett and Weakley have just gone through a complicated process, they are forced to name it solemnly and describe this new plant.

Two botanists Lynn Clark and Jimmy Triplett are the researchers on the diversity and evolution of bamboo. When I first heard about the hollow tree on the hill from botanist Alan Weakley and when they saw them, they knew that they were completely different. (Photo: Iowa State University)

According to the international law of law, botanists must briefly describe this type of plant in Latin, and a longer word in English, as well as provide drawings and key information. Exactly in the discovery of this type of bamboo A. appalachiana. They have to present written evidence with the Sida scientific journal, articles on plants, convincing industry peers that this is a newly discovered species and their research has been published in season. past collection.

North American bamboos

About 1,400 species of bamboo have been discovered. Among them, about 900 species are tropical and 500 species are temperate. North American bamboos were discovered in the East and Southeast of the United States from southern New Jersey to Florida and East Texas. The living hollow species (Arundinaria gigantea) are low and grow along the river. Soft hollow species (Arundinaria tecta) are found in swamps without sediment alluvial, pine forest, damp barren oak and along the sandy banks of streams.

Professor Clark said: " Most people are not aware of native bamboo in the US, but it is an important ecological plant, it is currently being considered for use in carpet regeneration projects. The cause is because it is a native species and is used as the habitat of many animals, especially birds ".

Set up bamboo genealogy

Professor Clark and Triplett watched North American bamboos contribute a part to botanists around the world to develop the genealogies of evolutionary bamboos. They are using DNA interpretation techniques along with traditional plant taxonomy including observations and descriptions of form, structure, ecology and other characteristics.

She wants to have an overall picture of the way between temperate bamboos, a summary of the existing types and a comparison of other signs. They know that the close relationship between North American bamboos is not in Central or South America but in East Asia.

Typical composition of bamboo Arundinaria appalachiana (Photo: J. Triplett)

It is a popular variety of plants and animals. These plants have a close relationship found throughout the earth now available only in two areas. For some other reason, the region of South America and East Asia is also home to a lot of diversity.

However, we will not know exactly how long these bamboos are separate from those in Asia. And it is unknown how we come to the conclusion that there are 3 species in North America and 500 species in East Asia.

Although former botanists had studied North American bamboos, there were still no people who had practiced extensive research to understand and collect wild plants, and remaining questions. Is there really more or just single species?

In 2003, with the support of the National Geographic Society, Professor Clark and Triplett began a research trip to the southeast and discovered soft hollow trees and lived in the main song in their native areas. .

They see the difference

Professor Clark said when they actually saw on the hill, they immediately knew that there were two distinct types of bamboo, but still listened to see if there was a third type and that was the hill.

Two botanists Lynn Clark and Jimmy Triplett are the researchers on the diversity and evolution of bamboo. When I first heard about the hollow tree on this hill from the botanist Alan Weakley and when they saw them, they knew they were completely different.

Anh Phuong