noun
Japanese timber bamboo; madake
Phyllostachys bambusoides; a large bamboo species used for construction and crafts. Often called madake in English.
See also: マダケ
カラタケは日本で最も大きな竹の一つです。
Madake is one of the largest bamboos in Japan.
この竹細工はカラタケで作られています。
This bamboo craft is made from madake.
noun
Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis; a variety of black bamboo with green culms. Less common than madake.
See also: ハチク
ハチクはカラタケの一種で、幹が黒くなります。
Henon bamboo is a type of madake whose culms turn black.
マダケ is the more common katakana spelling for Japanese timber bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides), while カラタケ can refer to the same species or to Henon bamboo depending on context.
ハチク specifically refers to Henon bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis), a variety of black bamboo. カラタケ sometimes includes this variety.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 幹竹 (trunk bamboo) and 乾竹 (dry bamboo) are likely descriptive, but the word may predate these spellings.