2023-09-08 05:40:53
In a new study, experts examine a variant of the bamboo species Phyllostachys nigra called henonis, reports IFLScience. The special feature of the plant is that it is extremely long-lived, but it blooms only once in 120 years, after which it quickly dies.
There are few opportunities to investigate the regeneration of bamboo due to the infrequent flowering. The last mass bloom took place in 1908, and the next one is expected in 2028.
However, in 2020, researchers at Hiroshima University observed an early blooming specimen.
Analyzing the regeneration, the team concluded that the next big bloom could have a catastrophic effect on the bamboos and the environment.
“Bamboo did not produce viable seeds capable of germination,” said team member Jamada Tisihiro. The production of bamboo shoots stopped after flowering, and no signs of recovery were observed in the following three years. Based on the observations, the plant did not reproduce asexually either.
During the test, all the bamboo stems were killed. It is feared that the species may be endangered after the next flowering, and the slow regeneration will make harvesting difficult, which will also have economic consequences. In case of extinction, serious effects can also occur in the vegetation and ground cover in the bamboo’s habitat.
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