Is bamboo a tree or a grass? No! It is actually a "close relative" of rice

Review expert: Xia Xiaofei, Secretary General of Beijing Botanical Society

Bamboo is one of the most common plants in our lives. When we walk in the bamboo forest and look at the tall and slender bamboo, we can't help but wonder, is this bamboo a grass or a tree? Which family does it belong to? Why can bamboo grow so fast?

Image source: Xinhuanet

01Are bamboo and rice close relatives?

It is often said that bamboo is neither grass nor wood. Indeed, if we say it is a tree, it does not have the annual rings of the cross section that are unique to trees, and the inside of the bamboo is hollow. If we say it is a grass, it is too "tall, big and strong". In fact, bamboo belongs to the Poaceae family, named "Bambus subfamily", and has a typical herbaceous plant vascular tube structure and growth method. It can be said to be an "enlarged version of grass". It is a type of plant with important ecological, economic and cultural value, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. There are about 127 genera and more than 1,700 species in the world, and there are 39 genera and more than 600 species in my country, mostly distributed in the Yangtze River Basin and the provinces and regions to the south.

Why are bamboo and rice close relatives? That’s because rice, wheat, sorghum, etc., which we are familiar with, are all plants of the Gramineae family, and they are all close relatives of bamboo.

02Why can bamboo grow so fast!

First of all, the special shape of bamboo lays the foundation for its rapid growth. Bamboo has nodes on the outside and is hollow inside. The stem is usually tall and straight. Its unique internode structure allows each internode to extend quickly. The root system of bamboo is also very developed and widely distributed. Its root system can quickly absorb a large amount of water and nutrients. Adequate water provides a continuous source of power for the growth process of bamboo. Through a huge root network, bamboo can efficiently absorb various substances needed for growth from the soil. Furthermore, the growth method of bamboo is also one of the key factors for its rapid growth.

Unlike other plants, bamboo grows and reproduces mainly through underground stems (bamboo rhizomes). Bamboo rhizomes continue to extend underground, and when they encounter suitable conditions, they will grow new bamboo shoots upwards. Bamboo shoots can quickly grow into tall bamboos in a short period of time, and the shoots break through the ground. For example, when the Chinese giant bamboo grows fastest, it can grow 130 cm every 24 hours. This unique growth method allows bamboo to quickly expand its population range and occupy space in a relatively short period of time.

Researchers have also analyzed the lengths of 510 bamboo stalks and 12,750 internodes in bamboo populations from 17 main bamboo producing areas in China, combined with high growth dynamics analysis, and found that the 18th internode from the bottom of the bamboo stalk is a representative internode of bamboo height growth. When bamboo is growing rapidly, up to 40 internodes are simultaneously elongating to varying degrees. In addition, the internode growth of bamboo is modular growth, and its growing internodes include cell division zones (up to 2 cm), cell elongation zones (up to 12 cm) and secondary cell wall thickening zones. These growth zones can elongate up to 11.8 cm per day , produce about 570 million cells , and deposit a large amount of lignin and cellulose, far exceeding the nutritional growth rate of other plants.

03 “ Gao Daqiang ” ’s dedicated life !

The ordinary bamboo has unexpected application value.

1. Replace wood and protect resources

Because of the unique biological and ecological characteristics of bamboo forests, they can continuously produce bamboo shoots and mature quickly, and can be harvested and used continuously every other year . As a high-quality renewable biomaterial, China cuts down about 1.8 billion bamboos every year, which is equivalent to more than 200,000 cubic meters of wood resources. The annual amount of bamboo harvested provides China with about 22.5% of material resources, thereby reducing the felling and utilization of wood, achieving the effect of "replacing wood with bamboo" and "beating wood with bamboo", effectively reducing the consumption of wood, and playing a good role in protecting forest resources.

2. It is edible and can be used to make farmers rich.

Bamboo can produce bamboo shoots, bamboo rice and other foods. However, bamboo rice is very rare and the market price is as high as hundreds of yuan per pound! Needless to say, bamboo shoots are the young shoots of bamboo. They can be divided into spring shoots and winter shoots according to the different picking seasons. They not only have a crisp taste and high nutritional value, but also have the effect of quenching thirst, diuresis, clearing heat and reducing phlegm. Whether it is fried, cold or stewed, bamboo shoots are very fresh and delicious, and are one of the favorite delicacies.

There are many types of bamboo processing products. At present, more than 10,000 types of bamboo products have been developed, involving all aspects of people's production and life, such as clothing, food, housing, and transportation. From disposable tableware such as knives, forks, spoons, straws, cups, and plates, to durable household goods, to bamboo-wrapped pipe corridors in the industrial field, etc. Bamboo has a wide range of uses and can achieve full bamboo utilization with almost no waste.

3. Reduce carbon, fix carbon and protect nature.

Bamboo is luxuriant and evergreen all year round, playing an important role in carbon sequestration, reducing emissions, conserving water and soil, and beautifying the environment. The annual carbon sequestration capacity of one hectare of bamboo forest is 4.91-5.45 tons, which is 1.5 times that of fir plantations and 1.33 times that of tropical rain forests.

Do you know the secret of bamboo's rapid growth? Bamboo is of great significance in ecological protection and resource utilization, so we should cherish and protect it. Let bamboo resources give full play to its ecological, economic and cultural value and continue to shine in our lives. Let us continue to pay attention to and explore the secrets of bamboo and work together for a better nature and human society!