The plant is known only from southern Yunnan, at elevations of 900 to 1,200 m above sea level.

Ferrocalamus are perennial shrubby bamboos having erect culms.

The internodes are long, thick walled, with a ring of white hairs below the nodes.

Culm sheaths are persistent, leathery at base, thinner at apex.

Fruit is rounded berry-like, succulent with thickened, fleshy pericarp but without hardened endocarp.