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Synopsis Bamboos, popularly known as giant grasses, with more than 1575 species in the world, occurring in a wide variety of soil and climatic conditions, play an important role in providing livelihood, ecological and food securities to mankind. In India, recognition of the suitability of bamboo for paper pulp in the beginning of twentieth century changed the fate of bamboo which otherwise was considered as weed. Since then there has been a steady decline in the bamboo resources due to over-exploitation, lack of scientific management after gregarious flowering, and lack of efforts for establishment of bamboo plantations. Canes are spiny trailing and climbing palms of tropical rain forests with about 600 species predominantly found in South East Asia. Until very recently canes were one of the neglected natural resources, even though it is an important employment source for the tribals and locals. In India canes are distributed in three major regions, the Western Ghats of Peninsular India, Eastern and North East India and The Andaman Nicobar Islands.