Thysanolaena latifolia Honda

Culms 1–3 m tall, hard, unbranched, often arching. Leaf sheaths smooth; leaf blades broadly lanceolate-oblong, leathery, up to 40 × 3–7 cm; ligule truncate, 1–2 mm. Panicle up to 60 cm, open or contracted; main branches 1–3 per node, pilose in axils, bare of spikelets in lower part, lowest branch up to 30 cm; pedicels ca. 2 mm. Spikelets 1.5–1.8 mm; glumes 1/5–1/4 spikelet length, ovate-lanceolate; lower lemma as long as spikelet; upper lemma slightly shorter than lower lemma, marginal hairs rigid, to 1 mm, spreading at maturity, apex slightly recurved. Anthers brown, 0.5–1 mm. Caryopsis oblong, ca. 0.5 mm. Fl. and fr. summer to autumn. 2n = 24.

Valleys and lightly shaded slopes; ravines; river banks; forest margins; open grasslands. Usually in association with trees (often bamboo forests), solitarily or in small groups, not in full sunlight; at elevations from 150-2,000 metres.

The fresh leaf buds are eaten. Rice and other foods are wrapped in the leaves for cooking and this imparts a flavour to the food.

Plants are grown from seed or by splitting the mother plant.