Sasa veitchii
Sasa veitchii | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Poaceae |
Genus: | Sasa |
Species: | S. veitchii
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Binomial name | |
Sasa veitchii Ruprecht, Makino & Shibata
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Sasa veitchii (Japanese: クマザサ, Hepburn: kumazasa) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Sasa, in the Poaceae family.[1]
Description[]
Sasa veitchii is a large species of bamboo grass which may reach a height of 1-2m, with leaves about 20cm in length and 4-5cm in width. Young leaves are initially uniform green in color but develop light-colored edges as they mature overwinter.[2] In its native Japan, it is found as a dense covering on some forest floors. The term kumazasa is not precise and can refer to a variety of bamboo grass species other than S.veitchii, including S. kurilensis, S. senanensis, S. palmata, and others.
Uses[]
This species is often planted in gardens as ornamental ground cover. The leaves can be used to make herbal tea, and are traditionally ground up and taken as a folk remedy for diabetes and hypertension, although there is no scientific consensus on its efficacy as medicine.[3] In Ishikawa, Nagano, and Niigata prefectures, the leaves are used as wrapping for regional varieties of sushi and rice dumplings. It also has some uses as a textile, for example in the manufacture of absorbent floor mats.[4]
References[]
External links[]
- Media related to Sasa veitchii at Wikimedia Commons
- Data related to Sasa veitchii at Wikispecies
- Bambusoideae
- Endemic flora of Japan
- Grasses of Asia
- Bamboo stubs