Giant Cane and Southeastern Indian Baskets

Abstract

Among the wide variety of natural
materials suitable for basket making, one of
the most attractive is giant cane (Figure 1),
an Oklahoma native plant. Taxonomically,
giant cane is in the genus Arundinaria, and
the family Poaceae (grasses). This genus
comprises the only native species of
bamboo in the continental United States.
Hitchcock (1971) recognized one genus:
Arundinaria Michx. (cane) and two species:
Arundinaria macrosperma Michx., giant cane,
and Arundinaria tecta Walt. Muhl., switch
cane. However Estes and Thompson
(1984), following F. A. McClure,
recognized one species, A. gigantea (Walter)
Muhlenberg (cane) with three inclusive
subspecies: A. gigantea ssp. gigantea, ssp. tecta
(Walter) McClure, and ssp. macrosperma
(Michaux.) McClure. Taylor and Taylor
(1991) recognized one species, A. gigantea
(Walt.) Muhl., giant cane. The taxon
relevant to Oklahoma, and to southeastern
Indian basketry generally, is A. gigantea ssp.
gigantea, which will be referred to herein as
giant cane.