Bamboo is an important grass (poaceae) inextricably linked to our human societies, providing the resource for shelter, food, animal feed, paper, composite and much more. The range of its use is hardly rivaled in the plant kingdom. It is regarded as the plant of a thousand uses.
Bamboo are complex plants that can be difficult to identify or classify, but given its ecological and economic importance, correct identification is critical to their conservation and development and a robust phylogenetic classification system underpins identification. At Carbon Xchange, we present a history of bamboo classification, discuss bamboo habitat and silviculture. We also present an up to date classification of bamboo based on synthesis of the most recent systematic work in this fascinating and charismatic group of giant grasses.