ARUNDINARIA SIMONI 67 
between the two bracts, they remain hanging and in time 
perish. 
The fruit is about a quarter of an inch long. It bears some 
resemblance to a grain of rye, but is arched and ellipsoid, 
that is to say, pointed at the top and obtuse at the base. 
A deep furrow runs along the whole length of the fruit, with 
smaller irregular transverse furrows. The colour is shining 
and yellowish. 
I have before me a ripe seed of A. Srmonrt which I 
gathered in Surrey. The only difference that I can detect 
between it and the above account is that it is less arched than 
Messrs. Rivicre’s description and drawing, and I fail to 
detect the small transverse furrows. 
Tall and stately, perfectly hardy, and a vigorous grower, 
this Bamboo has narrowly missed being a plant of the first 
value. Beautiful it certainly is for many months of the 
year, but unfortunately, as I have already pointed out, in 
spring and in the very early summer it generally has a 
ragged and shabby appearance, owing to the injury done by 
the storms and frosts of winter to those culms which are 
born in the late autumn. It recovers, however, at mid- 
summer, and increases in favour as the year wears on. 
I have endeavoured to give a somewhat minute descrip- 
tion of this Bamboo (1) because it is so universally grown 
in English gardens; (2) because it is a very typical 
Arundinaria, worthy of study, as helping to a right under- 
standing of its Chinese and Japanese congeners; and (3) 
because its size makes it a comparatively easy matter to 
observe its habits. 
