Bambusa. hexandria monogynia. 197 



5. B. baccifera. R. 



Arboreous, unarmed. Pericarp a very large, pendulous 

 pyramidal, one-seeded berry. 



Beesha. Rheed.Mal. vol. 5. t. GO. p. IIJ). 

 Pagu-tuUu, of the people of the Chittagong mountains, 

 where the plant is indigenous. 



This uncommonly curious berry-bearing bamboo, is a 

 native of the Chittagong mountains. 



Growing plants, seeds, and well preserved specimens, 

 were sent me from thence, by Mr. Richard Pierard, a 

 gentleman to whom the Botanic Garden at Calcutta is 

 under many obligations. The bamboo he writes is the 

 one in common use in that country, for every purpose of 

 building, &c. His description of the tree is so full and per- 

 fect that I do not think I can do better than transcribe what 

 he says, in reply to my queries regarding this plant, viz. 



" It bears no thorns ; grows in dry places, chiefly on 

 the sides of hills, where the upper stratum of the soil is 

 sandy. The circumference near the base twelve or thirteen 

 inches ; height from fifty to seventy feet, beautifully erect, 

 and without the least flexure, or unequality of surface, 

 bare of branches except near the extremity. Perishes 

 after yielding its fruit. 



"Ityields more or less Tabasheer of a siliceous crystalli- 

 zation ; sometimes it is said the cavity between the joints 

 is nearly filled with this, which the people call choona, 

 lime" So far Mr. Pierard. 



Leaves alternate, bifarious, subsessile on their sheath- 

 ing base, ovate-lanceolate, smooth on both sides, and 

 slightly ribbed underneath ; from six to twelve inches 

 long, and from two to four broad. Sheaths of the leaves 

 villous, with their mouths bearded with many long fili- 

 form fibres. Spikes compound, issuing many together 

 from the joints of the large branches, or upper part of the 

 stem, long, slender, jointed, ramous, each joint furnished 

 with a sheath of nearly its length. Spiketets three, four, 



