. 
PLANTS MENTIONED IN CLASSICAL WORKS. 393 
found in China. Ph, n’gra has a black stem. Perhaps this 
As the kin or the lu of the Shu king. At Canton, this black 
bimboo, attaining not more than a man’s height, is cut 
down for walking-sticks an handles of parasols. Of tall 
Chinese species there is the common Indian Bambusa arun- 
dinacea, Retz (Arundo Bambos, L.) and the Bambusa tuldoides, 
Munro, both cultivated at Canton. Bamboos of great dimen- 
sions are said to grow in Chekiang [shey were noticed 
there by Marco Potro, (09 years ago. YuLn’s edition, 
Il, 203]:—*The largest and longest canes that are in all 
Manzi; they are full four palms in girth and 15 paces in 
length.” The provinces of Hupei and Sz‘ch‘uan are likewise 
famed for their large bamboos. Baron RicHTHOFEN, in one of 
his Letters on the Interior Provinces of China, remarks that 
Nowhere in China does the bamboo attain such a size as in 
Sz‘ch‘uan. : 
Dr. Leaae [Shu hing, 109] doubts the correctness of 
the Chinese statements regarding solil bamboos. European 
hotanists, however, know several bamboos with solid to 
hollow) stems, [See Rivitne, lc., 24; Loureiro, Flora cockin.y 
72). Arundo ( Bam'us1) agrestis (of Southern Can) * 
— Internodiis brevibus, intus parum yacuis, sepe integre solidis. 
The stem of Bumbusi spinost, Roxbg., in India has a very 
— small cavity. 
One of the Chinese bamboos, the sprouts of which are used 
_ for food, is, according to Riviere [l.c., 231] the P. hyllostachys 
_ mitis (Bambusa mitis, Poir., Arundo mitis, Lour.). ; ey 
also known in Europe under the name of Bambus1 edulis. 
. 
__ Many kinds of bamboo are also found in Japan, babe 
Pamboos flower and fruit only once in from 30 to 60 yo. 
ihe botanical names of the Japanese species have only partly 
wen ascertained, : sk 
