IJSRP, Volume 3, Issue 2, February 2013 Edition [ISSN 2250-3153]
Deo Kumar Tamang, Dinesh Dhakal, Sambhawana Gurung, N. P. Sharma , D. G. Shrestha
Abstract:
Bamboo belongs to the grass family Poaceae (Gramineae) and it is recognized as the fastest growing plant on earth. Of the 30 bamboo species recorded from Sikkim, 27(90.00%) species under 6 genera are sympodial type and only three (10.00%) species under two genera are monopodial type. 21 bamboo species were found in tropical forests (0 – 900m), 28 species in sub-tropical forests (900 – 1800m), 12 species in temperate forests (1800 – 2700m), 6 species in sub-alpine forests (2700 – 3500m) and 3 species in alpine vegetation (3500 – 4500m). Bamboo is mostly used for house construction, scaffolding, fencing, garden support, fodder, handicrafts etc., and for several other articles of everyday use. Edible young bamboo shoots are used as vegetables. In the present paper a list of bamboos occurring in Sikkim with their vernacular names, distribution and its uses in the Himalayan state has been given. However extensive study is required to know emphatically about the bamboo diversity of the Himalayan state.