42 COLOiNEL MUNRO'S MUNOGllAril OF THE UAMBUSACE^. 



Mr. Eeuiiett's paper in the Luincau Transactions contains a very interesting account, 

 by Mr. Schomburgk, of this species, which is called " Curata" by the natives. The 

 lowest internode, which sometimes attains the extraordinary length of 10 feet, far sur- 

 passing that of any other Ikiniljoo known, furnishes the " Sarbican," or blow-pipe 

 through which the poisoned arrows arc blown by the natives of Guiana. M. Huml)oldt 

 states that these " Sarbicans " are much prized by their owners, and arc often handed 

 down as heir-looms. The plant is said to have a very limited range, and to have Ijcen 

 found, after very careful search, in only three localities on the sandstone mountains 

 from which the three rivers mentioned above flow. In the specimen in the British 

 Museum the lowest joint is 12 feet 6 inches long. 



5. A. EXCELSUM, Grisebach in il. Brit. AV. Ind. Isl. 529. Racemo simpliei, spiculis 



sub-6-floris, brevipedicellatis, G-12 lin. longis; foliis latis, vaginis cUiis deciduis 

 fimbriatis, nodis eulmi glabris. 



Hub. In ins. Caribbaeis, Dominica, Imraij ! ; Trinidad ! " Las Cucvas Hills, Tocucliu," Grisebach. v. s. 



Culmtis 60-80-pcdalis, diametro 6-12-poll., internodiis glabris, ramis floriferis fasciculatis 3-5 poll, longis. 

 Folia lanccolata vol oblongo-lanccolata, acuminata, 3-5 poll, longa, j)lerumque 9 lin. lata, raro augus- 

 tiora (3 lin. lata), subglabra, basi rotundata, pctiolata, pctiolo glabro, marginc scabra, ncrvo medio vix 

 conspicuo, sccnndariis .'j-G. Vuyiiiie striata;, iutcrstitiis subscabris, glabrcscentcs, apicc ciliis 1-1 lin. 

 longis fulvis deciduis fimbriatai. Racemus simplex, rhachi flcxuosa, uno latere sulcata, terminalis, 

 spiculis 6-8 distantibus brevipedicellatis. Spicule sub-G-florae, 12-6 lin. longae, articulis rhachillae 

 apice fimbriatis, flosculo infimo neutro reliquis subbrcv-iore. Gluniee breves, pallida;, membranaccae, 

 mucronatee, fere enerves. Palea inferior (flosculi fertilis) nervoso-striata, membranacea vel intcrdum 

 h3'alina, apicc subobtusa vcl brcvissime mucronata; superior longior, apicc attcnuata, vix bifida, 

 bicariuata, superne cai'inis ipsoque apice birsutis. Squamula 3, lanceolatic, apicc fimbriate. Stamina 

 3, antlicris obtusis. Styli ad l)asin discreti. Ocarium (immatiu'um) lineari-oblonguni, infra apicem 

 constrictum. 



This is closely allied to A. pubcscens and A. Cubense. The main rhachis of the raceme 

 assumes a peculiar zigzag appearance, exactly resembling in this respect Festuca dica- 

 ricata, Desf. 



6. A. PVBESCENS, Ruprecht, /. c. 119, tab. iv. fig. 14. Baccmo simpliei, spiculis 4-9-floris, 



9-12 lin. longis, sessilibus, remotiusculis ; foliis angustis, 3-5 poll, longis, superne 

 pubescentibus. — Steud. /. c. 330 ; Grisel)ach, /. c. 529. 



Hub. In ins. Carribbteis, Trinidad, Z<o<?X://a?-/ ! ; summis montibus "Tocuchc," Grisebach; Venezuela, 

 Galipan, Moritz, 32" !, var. glabra? Fendlcr, 1628 ! alt. 2000 p. s. m. v. s. 



Cu/mus pcdalis, internodiis (crassitie I lin.) pcdalibus, " pnbcsccnti-aspcrrimis " vcl " scabris," vel 



dcmura glabresccntibus ; " ramulis floriferis ad basin nonnunquam foliolo uuo altcrove auctis, et 

 sterilibus foliigeris, spithamseis, subrigidis, erectis divaricatisquc, e nodis densissime erumpentibus." 

 Folia lineari-lanccolata, 4-9 lin. lata, 3-5 poll, longa, basi rotundata vcl paruni attenuata, petiolata, 

 viridiuscula, subtus et marginc scabra, superne pubescentiu vel puberula, ncrvis sccnndariis 3 sub- 

 obsoletis. Vaginte inter nervos prominulos scabriuscula:, marginc ciliata', ore fimbriis dcnsis cinna- 

 momco-fuscis 2 lin. longis deciduis fimbriatai. Racemus simplex, pcdunculatns, in ramulis basi 

 paucifoliatis terminalis, spiculis sjcpc distantibus, sessilibus vcl brevissime pcdicellatis. Spicula 



