The Bamboo Orchid (Arundina graminifolia) is a the only species in the genus Arundina of the orchid family Orchidaceae, subfamily Epidendroideae, tribe Arethuseae, subtribe Bletiinae.
This tropical Asiatic orchid extends from India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, South China to Indonesia and across the Pacific Islands. It has been introduced in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Panama.
The Bamboo Orchid is a terrestrial multiperennial orchid with reedy stems, forming into large clumps growing to a height between 70 cm and 2 m.
The plaited linear leaves are oblong lanceolate, with a length of 9 to 19 cm and a width of 0.8 to 1.5 cm. The apex is acuminate. There are amplexicaul (clasping the stem) sheathing stipules.
habit
This orchid blooms in summer and autumn, showing rather open clusters of showy terminal flowers, ten at the most. They bloom in succession on the terminal racemes, which are 7 to 16 cm long. These flowers, 5 – 8 cm in diameter, are a rosy lilac and white disk with a purple lip. The bracts are wide triangular and surround the main stalk of the flower cluster.
The symbol for a multitude or forest of bamboos is, and was used in old Chinese Buddhist texts to refer to India.
Bamboo is often used in the third world (both in Asia and the Americas) in construction as roofing material as well as weight-bearing frame members of walls, in furniture, canes, baskets, fishing weirs, and in many other applications.
Much of the bamboo used for cooking in Europe and the Americas is purchased already cooked and canned, but the preparation of bamboo shoots in Asia and the Pacific Islands makes use of the raw, unprocessed plants, yielding a flavor and texture that is largely unknown here.
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