Biology Professor DISCOVERS NEW PLANT

Jax State biology professor, Dr. Jimmy Triplett, recently discovered a new species of native bamboo in Alabama. Tallapoosa Cane, or Arundinaria alabamensis, is recognized as Alabama's 31st endemic vascular plant and the fourth species of native bamboo in the US. His research is published in the international science journal, "Phytotaxa."

This new bamboo species helps shed light on the history of native bamboos in the Southeastern US, including their complex ecology and genetics. Alabama is rich in biodiversity - including fish, freshwater snails and turtles - but also plants. Tallapoosa Cane is only found in Alabama, and it is the state's fourth species of Arundinaria, ranking Alabama No. 1 in native bamboo species.

“Our native bamboos are closely related to bamboos in East Asia and highlight an interesting distribution shared with plants like magnolias, dogwoods and ginsengs, which is explained by prehistoric land bridges between continents,” Triplett said.

Triplett was also involved in the discovery of Hill Cane, Arundinaria appalachiana - also found in

Alabama - and several other species of plants from around the world, including Japan, China, Sri Lanka and Ecuador. He is the curator of the Jax State Herbarium, a regional natural history collection of more than 70,000 plant specimens.

Caption: Tallapoosa Cane, or Arundinaria alabamensis, is the fourth species of native bamboo in the US. Photo courtesy of Dr. Jimmy Triplett.