Thought it was Vivax, but maybe not...

[oobmab]

Transplanted 7 divisions, and this shoot just popped up within the last day or two. Plants are very handsome with nice green color and gloss to leaves and culms, nice sturdy looking proportions, and dark purplish discoloration on some culms. Growth habit is few, tall culms somewhat evenly spaced not far apart, but not close together either. Culms are all relatively close in size (12-15' high, 3/8"-5/8" dia.). Sulcus same color as culm. Grove was very small with wide culm spacing (compared to yellow groove or bisettii).

I though it was vivax based on the dark culm discoloration, but now not sure with this shoot. More pictures on request. I'll put up another picture when the shoot gets a little higher (height is about 1.5-2 inches in picture).

(Click pictures for better detail)

[dependable]

The culm pictures look like they could be vivax, including the darkened areas on culm from cold this year.

Culm bud may have been at deeper than normal depth in soil, and already lost its lost its culm sheath before it emerged.

Sometimes conditions make early shoots look different, it could be an anomaly. If more shoots come up, you will have a better ID sample.

[oobmab]

Here are some more pictures.

Out of focus, but pic shows white rings beneath nodes.




Nice glossy, green leaves. One in center is about 6" long.




Better shot of dark purplish discoloration on culms.

[oobmab]

I have my doubts that this kind of dark purplish culm discoloration is unique to vivax because some of my yellow groove culms have similar discoloration, though not as much (see below).

[Matt W]

The one here I believe to be Vivax is starting to shoot now, if you want to visit and compare. http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5022


Matt

[oobmab]

The one here I believe to be Vivax is starting to shoot now, if you want to visit and compare. http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5022
Matt

Can't tell from your pictures if the shoots have little whiskers. Here's mine at about 4".

(Click picture for better detail)

[Matt W]

Just looked, mine do not have the little whiskers. According to Compton, on Vivax shoots " The blade is narrowly triangular to ribbon shaped, reflexed, and strongly crinkled, auricles and oral setae are lacking,"

It is re-leafing from winter damage, at the base of each new leaf hairs are prominent.

Matt W

[oobmab]

I just drove to the donor grove and took some pictures. Boy, the shoots sure do look different there than mine. These are between 8" and 14" tall (approx.).

(click pictures for better detail)





And the grove itself. Not particuarly big. Culms are anywhere from 1/2"-1" thick. A notable lack of smaller culms.

[oobmab]

Just looked, mine do not have the little whiskers. According to Compton, on Vivax shoots " The blade is narrowly triangular to ribbon shaped, reflexed, and strongly crinkled, auricles and oral setae are lacking,"

So I guess that means mine's not vivax. What could it be?

[johnw]

Based on this photo a friend at the EBS says:

"No idea. A Yushania?"

johnw

[oobmab]

I just drove to the donor grove and took some pictures. Boy, the shoots sure do look different there than mine. These are between 8" and 14" (approx.).

Shoots seem to be greener at my house for some reason than those in the donor groves. I had this same thing happen with a boo that I transplanted that Brad (needmore) IDed as Praecox. It was very green at my place, but not so much in the donor grove (which admittedly had much more sunlight). Doesn't seem to happen with yellow groove shoots, though; but those culms are generally (not always) very dark green; as dark as bissetii.

[Tarzanus]

Well, I usually say aurea. Might it be this time as well?

Two strong branches per node say it can be Phyllostachys.
Shoots at donor's grove say there are different shoots, aurea can have whole variety, depending on sun exposure level.
whiskers say it's not aurea, but these shoots seem to be quite immature, perhaps it's possible. Mature shoot pictures have no whiskers.
Branching starts at low laying nodes. Aurea is one of those as well.
I've seen blackening of the culm on my aurea (but I guess all phyllos can do that) after a cold winter.

There are no compressed internodes on your pictures that would mean it's aurea. If not even one culm has compressed internodes, you can be sure it's not aurea.

[oobmab]

Well, I usually say aurea. Might it be this time as well?

Two strong branches per node say it can be Phyllostachys.
Shoots at donor's grove say there are different shoots, aurea can have whole variety, depending on sun exposure level.
whiskers say it's not aurea, but these shoots seem to be quite immature, perhaps it's possible. Mature shoot pictures have no whiskers.
Branching starts at low laying nodes. Aurea is one of those as well.
I've seen blackening of the culm on my aurea (but I guess all phyllos can do that) after a cold winter.

There are no compressed internodes on your pictures that would mean it's aurea. If not even one culm has compressed internodes, you can be sure it's not aurea.

This is a question I had after I got back from taking pictures. I will go there again to see if the mature shoots have whiskers (is the proper term, oral setae?)

I saw no compressed internodes. Is aurea hardy enough to weather sub-zero F temps with no leaf burn as this grove did?

[oobmab]

whiskers say it's not aurea, but these shoots seem to be quite immature, perhaps it's possible. Mature shoot pictures have no whiskers.

Went back to look again. Mature shoots definitely have whiskers.

(click pictures for better detail)



Some smaller culms (1/4" dia.) had no whiskers.

[oobmab]

The owner was there when I went back. We had a nice talk and he gave me permission to dig as much as I want. He doesn't know what it is.

One thing I remember when digging up the first batch was that they fit into my subcompact car without breaking at the top when bending them, even though the culms were taller and thicker than ones that I have been able to transport before without breakage. This suggests to me that these are more flexible than yellow groove.