Bamboo Taxonomy and Diversity in the Era of Molecular Markers

A total of ∼1400 species of bamboos are grouped under the sub‐family Bambusoideae within the family Poaceae. The plant group harbours both herbaceous and woody members while the taxonomy has traditionally been dependent on morphological characters. Classification systems proposed to date need further support, and taxonomic delineation at lower levels often lack sufficient resolution. Infrequent flowering events and extensive genome polyploidization are an additional challenge for the woody group. The tremendous advancement of molecular marker technologies holds the promise to address different needs of bamboo taxonomy (systematics and identification) and diversity studies. One of the most important prerequisites is to apply the appropriate molecular tool at the proper taxonomic level. More studies are required to better understand the population level genetic diversity in bamboo.