200 HEXANDRIA DIGYNIA, Oryza, 
The popular belief, that Bamboos often take fire by the 
violence of their friction, during those hot, dry months, 
when, what is called, the land wind prevails, is support- 
ed by the Sanscrit stanza, quoted by Sir William Jones, 
(See As. Res. vol. 4. p. 254,) of which the following isa 
copy- 
__ “Delight of the world, beloved Chandana, stay no Jong- 
er in this forest which is overspread with rigid pernicious 
Vansas, whose hearts are unsound ; who being themselves 
confounded in the scorching stream of flames, kindled by 
their mutual attrition, will consume not their own families 
merely, but this whole world.” 
HEXANDRIA DIGYNIA. 
ORYZA. Schreb. gen. n. 609. 
Calyx, glume two-valved, one-flowered. Corol two- 
valved, growing to the seed. Nectary two-leaved. 
Of this genus I have found only two species, but of | 
the first, sativa, there are between forty and fifty varie- 
ties known to, and cultivated by the Indian farmers ; they 
seem all tohave sprung from the wild sort called New- 
aree by the Telingas, and from it the following descrip: 
tion is taken. 
O. sativa.* Willd, 2. 247. &c. &c. 
Panicle diffuse. pal ts tk Si 
Unoo, Dhanya, Vrihi, the Sanscrit names of the cultivat- 
ed sort, and Nivara the wild variety, called by the Telin- 
gas Newaree, Aruz of the Arabians. — 
“An improper name, certainly for aaieceaeasena al 
which is never cultivated ; however as custom has established it for 
Cin scaseninee vasietion thawad I cannot well attempt to alter it in 
describing what I take fér the original, wild stock, Som, nhaner 
the cultivated varieties have sprung, which I am now desc cribing- = 
