Fargesia murielae (Gamble)Yi.
Arundinaria spathacea (Franch.) McClintock (syn. Arundinaria murielae (Gamble) Native of W. Hubei, forming dense thickets of golden stems at 2000-3000 m. A densely tufted clump of short rhizomes. Stems 2-4 m tall, at first green, later yellow, to 10 mm in diameter. Leaf-blades 6-11 cm long, 10-15 mm across, minutely bristly on the margins. Moist, rich soil; shelter. Hardy to -20°C.

Fargesia Franch. (1893), in the family Gramineae subfamily Bambusoideae, contains around 8 species in western China.

Description Stems to 6m, but usually less, hollow, forming dense clumps of often glaucous stems. Sheaths lasting usually less than a year. Branches numerous at each node. Leaves small, around 5–8cm long. Spikelets with 2 glumes and 2–4 flowers, each with a palea and lemma (for full explanation of parts see Chusquea). Stamens 3. Ovary superior, with 1 cell and usually 3 stigmas. Pollination is by wind. The fruits are slender, with 1 seed.

Key Recognition Features The clumps of usually arching stems with slender, hollow canes, and small leaflets.

Evolution and Relationships Species now called Fargesia are often found under Sinarundinaria Nakai or Thamnocalamus Munro.

Ecology and Geography In wet forests in western China.

Comment The commonly cultivated species of Fargesia are F. murieliae (Gamble) Yi and F. nitida (Mitford) Keng & Yi. F.. Fargesia denudata is a recent introduction by Roy Lancaster, from northwestern Sichuan. Many plants of F. murieliae flowered in the early 1990s. Even thin shoots such as those shown here are collected young for eating in western China.