Anatomical properties and microstructures features of four cultivated bamboo gigantochloa species

Anatomical properties and microstructure features of four (4) cultivated species of
popular tropical bamboo genus Gigantochloa were studied. Gigantochloa brang, G.
levis, G. scotechinii and G. wrayi of age-group 3 were selected, harvested and
processed for the anatomical and microstructure studies. The studies focussed mainly
on the vascular bundles and fiber cells located at the internodes and nodes 8 at the
outer, middle and inner layers of the bamboo. The sizes of the vascular bundles length,
vascular bundles width, fiber length, fiber diameter, fiber lumens diameter, fiber walls
thickness and fiber Runkle’s ratio were measured between each of the species in
relation to the samples positions at the internodes, nodes, and positions in the crosssection
of the bamboo culms. The results in the fibers morphology studies showed that
the fibers for each species has different lengths, diameters, cell walls thickness and
lumen sizes. The size of vascular bundle is smaller at outer position and become bigger
at the inner position. All the four (4) bamboo species exhibited similar in
characteristics but having different sizes in anatomy and microstructure features.