Phenology of Chusquea quila during a gregarious flowering event in south-central Chile

Abstract

Flowering phenology of Chusquea quila was examined in this study. Adult individuals of C. quila were monitored for one year and synflorescences collected to analyze temporal changes in flowering phenology. The flowering process, from the time synflorescences are produced until mature fruits are dispersed and parental culms die, took aprox. two years. The foliage appeared to be physiologically active from flowering time (i.e., synflorescences and anthesis) to the formation of bamboo fruits. Once fruits started to be dispersed, parental plants began to die, as evidenced by the withering of foliage, culms and rhizomes. In the following spring, a new bamboo seedling cohort was quickly established from seed.