Phyllostachys edulis is a bamboo

Bamboo

Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....

 species belonging to the genus Phyllostachys

Phyllostachys

Phyllostachys is a genus of bamboo. The species are native to Asia with a large number of species found in Central China, but can now be found in many temperate and semi-tropical areas around the world as cultivated plants or escapes from cultivation...

. The edulis part of the Latin name is a reference to the fact that it produces edible shoots

Bamboo shoot

Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots of many bamboo species including Bambusa vulgaris and Phyllostachys edulis. They are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths...

. This bamboo can reach heights of up to 70 feet (20 meters).http://www.bamboogarden.com/Timber%20Bamboos.htm

Synonyms include: Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel ex J.Houz., P. heterocycla (Carrière) Mitford., P. mitis Auctt. non Rivière. & C. Rivière., Bambusa edulis Carrière, B. heterocycla Carrière), aka "Moso" bamboo.

Ecology

Polyporus phyllostachydis

Polyporus phyllostachydis

Polyporus phyllostachydis is a fungus species belonging to the genus Polyporus. It is a species known from Japan to grow on the ground on the living or dead roots of the Phyllostachys edulis bamboo....

, Sotome, T. Hatt. & Kakish., is a fungus species, known from Japan, that grows on the ground on the living or dead roots of the Phyllostachys heterocycla bamboo.

Varieties

• Phyllostachys edulis 'Bicolor'
• Phyllostachys edulis 'Kikko' or 'Kikko-Chiku' (Syn.: Phyllostachys edulis var. heterocycla)
• Phyllostachys edulis 'Subconvexa' (Syn.: Phyllostachys heterocycla f. subconvexa, Phyllostachys pubescens 'Subconvexa')
• Phyllostachys edulis 'Nabeshimana', (Syn.: Phyllostachys heterocycla f. nabeshimana, Phyllostachys pubescens f. luteosulcata)

Biochemistry

Chlorogenic acid

Chlorogenic acid

Chlorogenic acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid, a member of a family of naturally occurring organic compounds. These are esters of polyphenolic caffeic acid and cyclitol -quinic acid. It is an important biosynthetic intermediate. It also is one of the phenols found in coffee, bamboo Phyllostachys...

 can be found in P. edulis as well as three other structural isomeric chlorogenic acid derivatives, 3-O-(3‘-methylcaffeoyl)quinic acid, 5-O-caffeoyl-4-methylquinic acid, and 3-O-caffeoyl-1-methylquinic acid (C₁₇H₂₀O₉, exact mass : 368.110732).