Bamboo xylans

The common hemiceUulose components of arborescent plants are listed in Table 3. Xylans, arabinogalactans, and pectic substances are common to all while only traces (if at all) of glucomaimans are found in the cell walls of bamboo. Other polysaccharides are found in trace amounts in wood as well as in bark, growing tissues, and other specialized parts of trees. 

The molecular structures of water-soluble and -insoluble hemicelluloses from bamboo leaves, and of a hemicellulosic D-xylan of the former, have been examined. Attached to the main D-xylan chain of all the polysaccharides are the side-chains (7)—(10) and single residues of L-arabinofuranose and D-glucopyranosyluronic acid and its 4-0-methyl ether. The polysaccharides differ in the degree of substitution of the main D-xylan chain by these mono-, di-, and tri-saccharides. 

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