mexico

Like many countries, Mexico has quite a few bamboos which are native as well as many
species that have been introduced. The interest in native bamboos has only occur in the last
10 to 15 years. There are several organizations working to establish botanical collections
and protect the genetic diversity found in many of the species. The American Bamboo
Society, Bambues de Mexico and Bamboos of the Americas as well as many other
organizations and individuals have been tremendous work toward these goals.

Unfortunately, the world of bamboo taxonomy and classification is still quite mobile and
changes occasionally. There is also the potential of finding new species. The newest specie
to be identified, Otatea glauca, was named only last year (2004). A full description can be
found in the "Bamboo Science and Culture: The Journal of the American Bamboo Society,
Vol. 18(1), 1-6. The Mexican Bamboo Society web site (Spanish) contains a list of both
the 14 endemic bamboos and those which have been introduced (22). This web site is very
informative with a lot details unavailable in other areas and contacts of some of the most
knowledgeable persons regarding bamboos in Mexico. We have included a brief list of the
bamboos which are native to Mexico under the most recent taxonomic classification.
However, we recommend looking at this web site if you have any further questions.