56 THE BAMBOO GARDEN CHAP. V 
have examined many of the tender Palms and found that 
all have striated leaf veins. What can be this mysterious 
connection between tessellation and hardiness ? 
Mr. Thiselton Dyer, the director of Kew Gardens, to 
whom I communicated this observation, writes to me: 
“There must be something important behind a character 
like this, and no doubt when we discover it, it will be a key 
to other things.” 
The accompanying illustration, drawn by Mr. Brebner 
of the microscopic laboratory at Kew, shows the difference 
between tessellated and striated venation. 
“The leaf A is of THAMNOCALAMUS FALCONERI, and A’ shows 
the fine venation between two of the coarser parallel veins 
marked v. The latter magnified 15 diameters, ae. Fig. A’. 
“The leaf B (nat. size) is of BAMBUSA DISTICHA (Mitford), 
and its finer venation is shown at B’ (x 15). 
“The tessellated venation at C’ is of ARUNDINARIA JAPONICA, 
but the leaf itself was too big to figure.” 
