The water bamboo name comes from the air canals in the rhizomes and roots that allow this bamboo to grow in more saturated conditions as compared to similar species.

This species can also have abrupt kinks at the base of the culms.

Maximum height can reach 35 ft with a diameter of 2 in.

Xu (Podonectriaceae family) was found parasitic around the ascomata of another fungus Neostagonosporella sichuanensis C.L.

Hyde (in the Phaeosphaeriaceae family) while found on Phyllostachys heteroclada, located in Sichuan Province in China.