Abstract:Phyllostachys Sieb. et Zucc., an important genus in Bambusoideae (Gramineae), consisting of ca. 60 species, is mainly distributed in China. In the present taxonomic literature, the classification and identification of species in the genus is mainly based on the characters of culm leaves and young culm. However, the sprouting period of most species, is between spring and summer for only 20-30 d, and it is rather difficult to observe fresh bamboo shoots or fresh culm-sheaths and young culms in the other seasons, so that both the present key to the species and the description of characters are poor for the identification of plants in non-sprouting state. To solve this problem, the more taxonomic evidence is needed to be looked for. On the basis of a long-term field investigation with a continued observation under cultivation in several Chinese bamboo gardens, some vegetative characters in non-sprouting state, such as length of culm-intranode, arrangement of branchlet and leaf, status of leaf-auricle and oral seta, status of leaf-ligule, and hair on the abaxial surface of leaf, etc. were discovered to play important roles in classification of the species rank. If the characters were used properly and combination with the others, all of species known in the genus in non-sprouting state could be efficiently distinguished. A key to species, according mainly to vegetative characters in non-sprouting state, is prepared here for field works.
