Chusquea quila

Chusquea quila, or Spanish: quila, is a perennial bamboo that grows in the humid temperate forests of Chile and Argentina.

Chusquea quila
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Genus:	Chusquea
Species:	C. quila
Binomial name
Chusquea quila Kunth (1829)

In contrast to most bamboos, it grows as a dense, climbing or decumbent shrub. Its aerial culms are solid, unlike most bamboos, which have hollow culms. Chusquea quila may form pure stands called quilantales occupying all the understory of a forest. Chusquea quila and whole quilantales flower every 10 to 30 years (or 18 to 20 years in some accounts).^[1] The seeding that follow the flowering has been associated with mouse vermin.^[1]

Flour can be prepared from its seeds and its shoots are edible.^[2] Chusquea quila species have been historically harvested for seed by indigenous peoples.^[1] Mapuche and Pehuenche people are reported to have made flour of the seeds.^[1]