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 | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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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.[3] It is a bamboo native to Japan and Sakhalin.[2]
Description
[edit]Sasa veitchii is a large species of bamboo grass which may reach a height of 1-2m, with leaves about 20 cm in length and 4–5 cm in width. Young leaves are initially uniform green in color but develop light-colored edges as they mature overwinter.[4]
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
[edit]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 a medicine.[5] 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.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sasa veitchii (Carrière) Rehder". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000. n.d. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
- ^ a b "Sasa veitchii (Carrière) Rehder". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ "Sasa veitchii in Tropicos".
- ^ "Saga Newspaper (Japanese)".
- ^ "National Institute of Health and Nutrition (Japanese)".
- ^ "Sasawashi mats".
External links
[edit]- Media related to Sasa veitchii at Wikimedia Commons
- Data related to Sasa veitchii at Wikispecies