Bangladesh scrambling bamboo, Climbing pear bamboo
Melocalamus compactiflorus

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A bamboo or rattan. It forms clumps and is scrambling. It grows 10-15 m tall or longer. The stalks are slightly zigzag shaped and 1.5 cm across. The internodes are 20-30 cm long. The leaves are sword shaped. The flowering shoots are large. The seeds are large and mealy.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in open clearings in the forest up to 1,700 m above sea level. It grows in the wet tropics. It is best in areas with an average temperature between 20-29°C and an average rainfall of 1,000-2,000 mm per year. It is best in a fertile soil and a sunny location. It is best in a soil with pH 5.5-6.5. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The shoots are used as a vegetable. They are also fermented as chutney. The seeds are eaten.

Shoots are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Seeds, shoots

How it is grown

It grows for several years and then flowers and seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Daral, Kale-o, Phai hang chang, Phai khruea wan, Phai lai mong, Phai sai wan, Usawi, Wa-nwe, Wa-nwe-gok, Washim mia

Synonyms

Dinochloa compactiflora (Kurz) McClure; Pseudostachyum compactiflorum Kurz; and others