''Gigantochloa atter'', the black bamboo, sweet bamboo, or giant atter, is a

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

species belonging to the genus ''

Gigantochloa ''Gigantochloa'' is a tropical Asian and Papuasian genus of giant clumping bamboos in the grass family. It is found in southern China, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and New Guinea. ;Species ;Formerly included see ''Bambusa Dendroca ...

''. It grows up to 20 m tall. It is native to

Island Southeast Asia Maritime Southeast Asia comprises the countries of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and East Timor. Maritime Southeast Asia is sometimes also referred to as Island Southeast Asia, Insular Southeast Asia or Oceanic Sout ...

, but has become naturalized all over the

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;; ...

Appearance

Culm is green with purple patches when young, which becomes purplish black when mature turns greyish purple when drying. Surface is smooth and glossy. Young shoots are purplish pink in color with green blades on culm sheaths. Culm is straight. Branching occurs only at top. Internode length is 45–60 cm, and diameter is 5–10 cm. Culm walls are thick. Culm sheath is purplish pink with green blades in young plants turns dark brown when mature. It is triangular with a conical blade. Length of the sheath proper is 24–27 cm in length and 40–45 cm wide. Blade length is 4–7 cm. Auricles absent. Upper surface of the sheath covered with black hairs. Lower surface of the sheath is not hairy. Sheaths fall off early.

References

Bamboo for You
Bambusoideae {{bamboo-stub