It is said that bamboo belong to grass family... Then, why it isn't belong to tree family?

Question

When I was in high school, we studied all about bamboo. I'm really wondering why there's no explanation in the book we used before if why bamboo belong to grass family. I did asked my teacher, in front of the principal but he failed to answer me. Could you be of help for me to be able to find out why?

Answer 1

Characters of a plant family are fundamentally based on the floral features.

To put it differently ; classification of plants ( Taxonomy) is based on the floral or reproductive characters of a plant and not on its vegetative features.

You may wonder why is it so ? Read further.

Morphological feature of vegetative organs( Root,stem and leaves) may undergo a change according to the environmental conditions.

For example- In deserts ; Cacti and euphorbias appear identical when you examine their veg. features as they have to cope up with severe drought and employ same measures to overcome it.

But their floral characters are vastly different and do not change. So one belongs to family Cactaceae and other to Euphorbiaceae!

System of classification that is based upon 'stable' characters or as they say 'conservative' ( resistance to change)characters will be a sound system of classification!

Now come back to Bamboo.

Vegetatively ( Especially stem) this giant grass does not appear to be a grass at all ! It shatters our idea of grass when we look at it.

Still , our disbelief notwithstanding , the flowers of bamboo confirm to the requierment of flowers that belong to Poaceae family , the grass family ( Old name is Gramineae family).

Now let us see some pictures if possible, click the links below-

1) This is Bambusa - one of the several Bamboos-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bambusa_oldhamii_form.jpg

2) Bamboo flowers- http://www.bamboo.org.au/images/billi/oldhamii_flowers.jpg
http://www.inbar.int/flowering/Assets/B.%20arnhemica%20flowers.JPG

3) Grass flowers (Typical grass )--http://www.easttennesseewildflowers.com/albums/Fall-Roadsides-Yellow/Copy_of_Grass_flowers_HR.jpg

4) Rice ( a grass again ) flowers- http://static.flickr.com/73/211655515_2de6945ba2.jpg

5) Wheat flower- It is also a grass
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/e/e7/WheatFlower3.JPG

6)Sugarcane flowers ( It is also a grass) --http://www.agricomseeds.net/images/plagas/big/14c.jpg

Answer 2

The fastest growing plant Bamboo is not a tree, it is a giant grass. Some species
grow four feet in one day! Bamboo reaches full height in one growth spurt of about two
months. When bamboo is harvested, the root system is unharmed and healthy, ready to
produce more shoots, just like a grass lawnBamboo timber can be harvested every year after 7 years, compared to 30 to 50
years for trees. With 10-30% annual increase in biomass versus 2-5% for trees, bamboo
can yield 20 times more timber than trees on the same area. Bamboo can be selectively
harvested annually and regenerates without replanting..

Answer 3

Family Of Bamboo

Answer 4

A tree is a form of life, a plant 5 meter high or more. Bamboo is a monocotiledon, such as the grass.

Answer 5

All grasses are monocots. Research this word.

To be considered a tree, a plant must contain a secondary meristem- it must have tissue which increases girth. Bamboo only has a primary meristem, and is therefore not a tree.

Answer 6

Unlike a tree which has multiple growth points, bamboo, like grass, has only one growth point

Answer 7

just look at bamboo growing it looks like super grass ,and looks nothing like a tree.it multiplies at the roots like grass does ,it has seeds on the ends ,like grass does ,its green or browm or yellow ,like grass
from far away it even looks like grass

how can anyone even think why it should be called a tree is a mystery,

are you thinking about the size ,maybe
there are trees 1 meter tall ,size means nothing