Bamboo is known as poor man’s timber and has multiple uses. It belongs to subfamily Bambusoideae of grass family (Poaceae). There are about 1200 species of bamboo in 90 genera across the world.  It has about 125 indigenous and 11 exotic species of bamboo from 23 genera (FSI, 2019). The major bamboo genera found in India are Arundinaria, Bambusa, Chimonobambusa, Dendrocalamus, Dinochloa, Gigantochloa etc.

Authentic identification of the bamboo species solely rely on the reproductive characters i.e. flowers and flower is not a usual annual phenomenon  and flowering  period varies   widely by species, ranging from a year to 120 years. Gregarious flowering of a bamboo species takes place in vast area and all clumps dies soon after. Dried bamboo has no economic value; moreover, it is main cause of forest fire during summer season. About 20 % of total forest area is under bamboo forest