Variations in the Anatomical Characteristics of Bambusa pervariabilis Culms with Age and Height

The anatomical characteristics of culms in Bambusa pervariabilis bamboo at different ages and heights were investigated by microscopy and image analysis. Among the two vascular bundle types found in culms, the broken-waist type was considered typical, with the following measurements: average proportion of fibrous tissue, 41.53 percent; length, 1.75 mm; slenderness ratio, 117; and Runkel ratio, 4.00. These values were close to those of the moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), which is commercially relevant in China. Age and height significantly influenced the anatomical characteristics of B. pervariabilis: with an increase in age, both the length and double-wall thickness of the fiber gradually increased, whereas its lumen diameter decreased. The width of vascular bundles and the length, width, double-wall thickness, and lumen diameter of fiber markedly decreased from the bottom to the top. Therefore, B. penvariabilis is an ideal raw material for pulping and papermaking, and its performance is close to that of moso bamboo.
Sympodial bamboo, an important component of bamboo resources, is abundant in the southeast and southwest provinces of the subtropical and mild temperate regions in China. Owing to its fast growth, [...]