Given its unrivalled position in terms of diversity, distribution and uses, coupled with the vital role it plays in the rural economies of several countries around the world, bamboo has emerged in recent years as potentially the most important non-wood forest resource to replace wood in construction and other uses. Concomitantly, the interest being shown in this invaluable natural resource since the 1980s has resulted in the accumulation of a considerable body of information through research on various aspects of bamboos, including the anatomy of the bamboo culm. There is, however, no comprehensive publication available on the anatomy of bamboo culm, with the available literature being fragmented, scattered and inadequate. This landmark monograph by renowned wood biologist, forestry expert and bamboo specialist, Professor Walter Liese, whose innovative work on the study of anatomical structure using advanced microscopy and other techniques has won him wide international acclaim, fulfils the need for a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on this subject. It is the first attempt to synthesize information from studies on this subject, many of which have been contributed by Professor Liese, spread over the past four decades. By identifying gaps in the current anatomical knowledge base of bamboo culm, it is expected to stimulate further research and to act as a prime mover for knowledge generation in the key areas of bamboo anatomy, growth and taxonomy.

This book was compiled by researchers of Chinese Academy of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, and Kunming University of Science and Technology. It has been the most comprehensive monograph about the bamboo resources in China until now. "Illustrated Flora of Bambusoideae in China" is composed of two volumes.This volume 1 contains three sections. The first section includes prefaces written by Wu Zhengyi, Chen Junyu, and Li Dezhu, and the foreword by the authors. The second section is about morphology of bamboos, geographical distribution of Bambusoideae, and hardiness zoning of Bambusoideae in China. The third section mainly introduces about bamboo taxa in the supertribe Bambusatae, including the tribe Melocanneae Benth. (Melocanna Trin.,Pseudostachyum Munro, Melocalamus Benth., Leptocanna Chia et H. L. Fung, Schizostachyum Nees,Cephalostachyum Munro, Thyrsostachys Gamble, Bonia Balansa), the tribe Bambuseae Trin.(Neomicrocalamus Keng f., Guadua Kunth, Bambusa Retz. corr. Schreber, Lingnania McClure), the tribe Dendrocalameae Benth. (Neosinocalamus Keng f., Dendrocalamopsis (Chia et H. L. Fung) Keng f.,Dendrocalamus Nees, Gigantochloa Kurz ex Munro), and the tribe Shibataeeae Nakai emend. Keng f. (Indosasa McClure, Sinobambusa Makino ex Nakai, Chimonobambusa Makino, Qiongzhuea Hsueh et Yi,Hibanobambusa I. Maruyama et H. Okamura, Brachystachyum Keng, Phyllostachys Sieb. et Zucc.,Shibataea Makino ex Nakai, Semiarundinaria Makino ex Nakai). Totally, 512 bamboo taxa are recorded in this book, including four hybrids, 119 forms, 38 varieties, and 351 species in 25 genera of four tribes.

This new volume features the studied anatomical details of different parts of 100 wild grass species and provides a comprehensive overview of existing knowledge. Each of the three sections of the volume (leaf grass, culm, and caryopses) discusses and illustrates the diagnostic histological features, along with statistical analyses on the quantitative and qualitative data. The descriptions of these grasses, particularly those growing in the grasslands of the Panchmahal and Dahod districts of India, are supplemented with microphotographs and keys for the taxa concentrate upon diagnostic characters above the rank of genus, which will be helpful for the easy identification of the grasses, even in their vegetative stages before flowering. The cluster analysis uses the statistical analysis program Minitab for each part on the basis of the diagnostic features. In this volume, readers will be able to easily identify the grass species based on the anatomical features described here. The volume will be of great interest both to grass specialists and to generalists seeking state-of-the-art information on the diversity of grasses, the most ecologically and economically important of the families of flowering plants.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the use of bamboo in building industry. It systematically demonstrates bamboo’s utility in terms of its properties, describing the material properties of typical industrial bamboo products, and discussing their performance evaluation and optimization as building components and in the creation of building envelopes. The book also includes examples of the high-value utilization of bamboo forest resources. Further, it examines how building performance may be affected by conditions such as climate. Including insights from material science, construction design, building physics and building climatology, the book also provides data obtained from technology and market status investigation, laboratory test and the computer simulation.This book appeals to scientists and professionals, as it introduces and tests various bamboo products, demonstrating the advantages and disadvantages for each one. The book is also a valuable resource for civil engineers and students interested in this unique plant material and its application in the building industry.

Bamboo Fibres: Processing, Properties, and Applications brings together best practices from key stages of bamboo production and application, allowing readers to find new solutions for bamboo fibers. Chapters on bamboo fiber characterization and properties show the full range of functional uses of the material. When used as a replacement for petrochemical-based synthetic fibers, this abundant and cheap material/textile can significantly reduce the environmental impact of textile products. This book is an invaluable resource for fiber chemists, material scientists, fabric technologists, manufacturers, and researchers interested in sustainable textiles. Bamboo fiber is a cellulosic fibre regenerated from the bamboo plant. It is highly sustainable being fully biodegradable and has strength comparable to conventional glass fibers. It has many other valuable characteristics, being bacteriostatic, antifungal, antibacterial, hypoallergenic, hydroscopic, a natural deodorizer, and resistant to ultraviolet light. Furthermore, it is highly durable, stable and tough and has substantial tensile strength. Due to its versatile properties, bamboo fibers are already used in the textile industry to make garments, in biomedical applications due to its antibacterial qualities, and many other areas. - Explores special technical properties of bamboo fibers, including antimicrobial, bacteriostatic, antifungal, antibacterial, hypoallergenic, hydroscopic and mechanical properties - Provides innovative knowledge on the production of bamboo fibers, including the blending of yarns and fabrics - Explains the broader techno-economics of bamboo fiber production, covering the social as well as environmental sustainability of the material

This book presents the state-of-the-art knowledge on bamboo. It starts with an introduction to the plant’s biology, its taxonomy, habitat, morphology and growth. The cultivation of bamboo is discussed in terms of silviculture, pests and diseases, and harvesting techniques. The book is completed by a comprehensive presentation of the properties of bamboo, its utilization and its preservation. Bamboo is the fastest-growing and most versatile plant on Earth. For centuries it has played an indispensible part in the daily life of millions of people in tropical countries. In recent decades it has gained increasing importance as a substitute for timber. The book was developed as a reference text for scientists, professionals, and graduate students with a strong interest in this unique plant.

Bamboo is a plant that occurs over much of the World. It is probable that billions of the World’s population see, eat and touch bamboo every day. Bamboo contributes significantly to the income generation of many poor farmers. Yet it is an “orphan” crop – largely ignored by the main landholding agencies – forestry and agriculture. This volume contains most of the papers presented at the joint Fifthth International Bamboo Congress and Sixth International Bamboo Workshop held in San José, Costa Rica, 1998, organized by the International Bamboo Association (IBA) and INBAR. The book is divided into four parts: Bamboo Resources and Socio-economics; Bamboo Propagation and Management; Bamboo Engineering and Construction; Bamboo Design and Utilization. The topics covered include varied aspects of bamboo, such as: from bamboo resources of Mexico to bamboos of Ethiopia; from bamboo afforestation of a mined area to bamboo as a food and fiber alternative in an island; from bamboo drippers to bamboo wheelchairs; from teaching architecture with bamboo to an international building code for bamboo; from silviculture of Guadua bamboo to flowering of Moso bamboo; and many more. This publication serves to highlight the usefulness of bamboo in aiding developing countries in their sustainable social, economic and environmental development.