310 



my ireiil incut of the Andropogonece, but it might well be argued thai if 

 Digitaria Scop., of the Panicece is worthy of generic rank, then, surely, 

 other subgenera of Panicum such as Echinochloa, Ptycophyttum, and 

 Hymenachne, and the more characteristic subgenera of Andropogon arc 

 also worthy of it. In tins connection it is sufficient to state that if, at the 

 present time, there existed a monograph of the Panicece or of any other t ribe 

 of Qramineas, treating such tribe or tribes as Hackel does the Andropogo- 

 nece, I should doubtless have followed such work or works in the sequence 

 of genera and species. However, in the matter of a local flora, it is 

 sometimes a decided convenience to consider some sections of large 

 genera as distinct and of generic rank, whereas, because of intermediate 

 forms it might prove impracticable, in a monograph covering the entire 

 world, to regard such groups as distinct. 



It has been found impossible, because of insufficient material, to treat 

 the BambusecB at this time with any degree of completeness or satisfac- 

 tion. In this tribe most of the species flower but rarely and at very 

 long intervals, while in most cases both mature flowers and fruits are 

 essential to work out properly the various species and their relation- 

 ships. Characters presented by the culm-sheaths are of considerable 

 importance in classification, but many collectors ignore these organs, 

 while notes as to size and habit are apt to be short and incomplete. The 

 scandent bamboos appear to flower at much shorter intervals than do 

 the erect ones, apparently in some cases (Schizophyllum acutiflorum 

 Munro) annually. During four and one-half years' experience in the 

 Philippines I have seen but three species of arborescent bamboos in. 

 flower, and in two of these the flowering was apparently duv to ciiliu- 

 in juries, and was not normal. At most, at the present time there are 

 in our herbarium, in flower, but five species of erect bamboos, but the 

 number of different species actually growing in the Philippines is rather 

 large, and doubtless will approximate 1 ■"> or "20. 



Economically the Oramineoe is (lie most important family of plants, 

 and this fact applies to the Philippines as well as to other parts of 

 the world. Rice (Oryza sativa Linn.) is our most important cereal, and 

 it is grown, with many cultural forms and varieties, throughout the 

 Philippines. Corn (Zea mays Linn.), introduced from America at an 

 early date by the Spaniards, is at present the only other cereal of im- 

 portance grown in the Archipelago. Of minor importance is the culture 

 of Italian millet (Setaria italiea Beauv.) locally known as Dawa or Ihiva. 

 occasionally the true millet {Panicum mUiaceum Linn.), locally known 

 as Cabug, and sorghum (Andropogon sorghum Brot.) locally known as 

 Batad. In the past, according to early reports, wheat (Triticum vulgare 

 Yill.) was somewhat planted in northern Luzon, but its culture in the 

 Archipelago has now been discontinued. Of great commercial im- 

 portance to the Philippines, is the culture of sugar cane (Saccharvm 

 officinarum Linn.). 



