Giant Cane and Southeastern Indian Baskets

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.