Ochlandra scriptoria (Dennst.) C.E.C.Fisch.

Bambusa scriptoria Dennst., Melocanna rheedii Steudel Ammei,
Common Name: Bheesa, kolanji, Ottal (Kerala)

Habit
Culms : Tufted Height: 5m  Diameter:2.5cm  Culm Color:
Internode Length: 45cm  Culm Sheath Colour: truncate with 2 falcate, long-ciliate auricles; bladeslong, ensiform, 10-15 cm long, purplish.

Length of Leaf: 10- 25cm  Breadth of Leaf : 1- 3cm  Leaf Shape: Linear- lanceolate

Habitat:   Altitude:   Soil:

Native to: India
Introduced to: Karnataka, Tamil nadu, Kerala

Description of Inflorescence and Flower: short terminal or axillary spike. Spikelets cylindric, acute, glabrous,sterile in heads, smaller, 1.2-1.8 cm long, fertile few, subsolitary withbracts, empty glumes 2-3, flowering glume larger, sub-acute, paleaconvolute, not keeled, lodicules many. Stamens 15-18 or more,exserted, filaments free, slender, anthers mucronate. Ovary oblong,surmounted by perigynium containing the style, which is cleft atthe apex into 3 plumose stigmas.
Flowering Cycle:   Flowering Reported:Western ghats(1988,1989,1992,1995)

Propagation:Seeds, rhizome

Uses: Pulp and paper, baskets, mats, flutes, floats, rafts

References: Seethalakshmi K. K ,1998, Ohrnberger D,1999