Hill Cane

Hi Brad, I think you're right, when I was IDing this species I figured it was a native species and only found rivercane and is subspecies, I didn't think of naturalized species. Phyloostachys nuda or nude sheathe bamboo does seem like the most likely of the canditates, and yes it was found in a forested area near my sister's home.

I'm in SE KS too. I've been looking for rivercane (Arundinaria gigantea) in habitat for sometime in KS and can't find any. If this is that grove growing on the east bank of the Verdigris River by the current and old hwys then I've seen it. I've also seen it by Coffeyville east of the same river by someone's house. The branch angles are all wrong for rivercane. For rivercane they come out and rapidly go up at a much smaller angle compared to the individual culms (canes) than what nude sheath bamboo does. These branch angles are just like nude sheath's. According to some historical accounts rivercane used to form canebrakes along the Caney & Little Caney Rivers in Montgomery County. But I think they're gone now. FYI the latest on genetic testing says that in the lower 48 states the three separate native species are rivercane (Arundinaria gigantea) hillcane (A. appalachiana), & switchcane (A. tecta). Only rivercane was native to KS and even then just barely. Nude sheath bamboo is the one you see the most in portions of SE KS & SW MO usually close to a house or an abandoned one. I have seen some rivercane along the Elk River in McDonald County, MO. I hear that some rivercane was planted by Wyandotte, OK in Ottawa County which adjoins Cherokee County KS to the south. There is some rivercane being planted in KS now but its very rarely done. Which is too bad!