Differing from Arundinaria and Sarocalamus and similar to Thamnocalamus and Fargesia in its short-necked pachymorph rather than leptomorph rhizomes, and its compressed synflorescences. Differing from Borinda and Thamnocalamus in its racemose rather than paniculate synflorescence branching. Differing from Fargesia in the distichous rather than unilateral arrangement of spikelets in the racemes, the spikelets usually having only one fertile floret, and the scabrous pedicels. Differing from Thamnocalamus in the branch complement with reduced sheathing, and from Fargesia in the more varied orientation of the leaf blades.

Bergbambos tessellata (Nees) Stapleton comb. nov. urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77131104-1 Basionym: Nastus tessellatus Nees, Fl. Afr. Austr. 1: 463. 1841. Arundinaria tessellata (Nees) Munro; Thamnocalamus tessellatus (Nees) Soderstrom & R.P. Ellis. Type: S Africa, Katberg, 4000–5000ft, J.F. Drège s.n. (lectotype, designated in Soderstrom & Ellis 1982, pg. 54: K!, http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/getImage.do?imageBarcode=K000345516

Rhizome pachymorph, short-necked, giving dense clumps. Culms to 7 m tall, diam. to 2 cm, nodding to pendulous, terete, smooth, nodes not raised and unarmed. Mid-culm branch complement initially with 5–7 main branches, erect, sheathing reduced. Culm sheaths persistent, tough. Leaf sheaths several to many, persistent, blades thick with random orientation. Synflorescence semelauctant, racemose, branch sheathing occasionally a soft sheath remnant, usually absent. Racemes not unilateral. Spikelets shortly pedicellate with 1(–2) fertile florets, pedicel scabrous. Empty glumes 2, no bud remnants. Lemma and palea similar in length. Stamens 3, filaments free. Stigmas 3. Lodicules 3.

Name Bergbambos from the Afrikaans name (Bergbamboes) in South Africa.

This genus would appear to be monotypic, confined to the mountains of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.