PHYLLOSTACHYS AUREA 
I was at one time inclined to undervalue the ornamental 
merits of this Bamboo, which appeared to me to be rather 
stiff and lacking in that graceful elegance which is such a 
conspicuous attraction in most members of the family. It 
has converted me, however, by the great beauty of its foliage, 
which is so rich in a well-matured specimen, that I have 
been encouraged to plant large clumps of it. If, as I think 
should be the case, a name ought at any rate to be of some 
little help in distinguishing a species, the name of AUREA is 
singularly ill chosen ; for there is nothing golden about this 
plant except the yellow stem, and that is not by any means 
a peculiar characteristic, but is found in most of the Phyllo- 
stachys group. The Japanese call it HOrar-cHIku, “the 
Bamboo of Fairyland,” or TarBo-CHIKU, “the Phcenix Bamboo.” 
I sometimes wonder whether Siebold gave it the name of 
AUREA as a sort of pun upon the sound of Horai. It isa 
far-fetched guess, I know, but it is difficult to imagine how 
any one could have called this the “Golden” Bamboo, with- 
out something more than its appearance to go upon. 
In this country PHYLLOSTACHYS AUREA has straight and 
very erect culms, which grow close round the base of the 
plant giving it a false air of having czspitous roots, whereas 
