Contents: Preface. Chapter I: 1. Introduction. 2. Taxonomy. 3. General characteristics. 4. Distribution. 5. Uses. Chapter II: 1. The need for a bamboo inventory of Assam. 2. Present work: i. Field and herbarium methods. ii. The present account. Chapter III: 1. Diversity and distribution of bamboos in Assam: i. Key to genera. ii. Enumeration of species. Chapter IV: 1. Epilogue. 2. References. 3. Index.

"The importance of bamboos has increased many-folds during the last few decades as an important source of raw material for varied end-uses. Besides being important as a raw material in a number of industries, bamboos are used in a myriad ways by the rural people and are interwoven with their life style in many parts of our country, especially in North-Eastern India including Assam. The selection of bamboos for specific needs is of paramount importance for their better and efficient utilisation, which in turn necessitates authentic identification of bamboo before they could be subjected to experimentation or fed to industry. Taxonomy of bamboo, which in other words means identification, is basic to all other facets of study leading to their effective utilisation and management of bamboo resources.

Diversity and Distribution of Bamboos in Assam is a pioneering work on bamboos of Assam in the form of a consolidated taxonomic and distributional account. Detail accounts of taxonomic circumscription of bambusoid grasses, historical perspective of bamboo taxonomy, global distributional pattern and uses of bamboos have been dealt with.

The work is based on seven years of field work by the authors during 1994-2000. It deals with 40 species, one variety and one forma belonging to genera of bamboo found to be occurring in Assam. Taxonomic treatment includes explicit keys to genera and species in the world and in India with critical notes on distribution and nomenclature has also been provided. The vernacular names(s) and usage recorded for the species are also form the part of the species account. The book is profusely illustrated with three maps, 42 line drawings and 47 coloured photographs.

Critical discussions on distribution, usage, rare and endangered elements and strategies worked out for conservation of rare and endangered bamboos of Assam are added attraction of the book." (jacket)