58 CHAPTER IV 



striped variety ; and under the spelling Scavenjerie Delteil also classed 

 a striped cane, presumably the one in question. 



The names under which this cane appears are : — Cavengerie, Po-a-ole, 

 Altamattie, Port Mackay (Mauritius), Caiia Francesca (Porto Rico), Santo 

 Domingo (Cuba). It is illustrated in Plate IX (page 65) from a Port Mackay 

 as grown in Mauritius. 



This cane affords a less pure juice than the Otaheite. Cheribon and Tanna 

 canes, but seems to be adapted for extra-tropical localities. It has been 

 cultivated to some extent in Mauritius, Australia, Argentina and Porto 

 Rico, where it was introduced from Mauritius after a disease epidemic in 1872. 



The detailed description by CowgilP^ follows : — 



Cavengerie. — Habit erect to reclining. Length medium. Diameter medium. 

 Shape of stalk more or less curved. Colour dark wine or greenish-red, with faint 

 greenish to bronze longitudinal stripes ; the lower part of the node more or less 

 glaucous. Internodes nearly round in cross-section, medium to long, typically 

 almost straight-sided, but sometimes inclined to be tumid in the lower half ; often 

 more or less staggered ; furrow very shallow. Nodes small ; the leaf-scar often 

 oblique, usually a slightly prominent ring at the upper limit of the node ; the 

 depressed ring forming the portion of the node below narrow and shallow ; two, 

 to occasionally three, rows of rudimentary roots. Buds usually dark in colour, 

 typically plump and very short, with the margin scarcely perceptible, and the 

 point round and obtuse, set in a cavity of the stalk ; but sometimes longer and the 

 point more acute. Foliage abundant, medium green in colour. Leaf medium width, 

 medium to short, semi-erect, tapering to a fine point rather abruptly. Leaf 

 sheath slightly flattened at the throat ; colour reddish green, striped with light, 

 longitudinal stripes ; auricles small ; ligule medium to narrow, turned in toward 

 the stalk, and with the upper edge depressed in the centre. Vestiture of the leaf 

 sheath many sharp stiff setae. Vestiture of throat of sheath straight, rather short 

 hairs on the auricles, adjacent edges of the leaf and leaf sheath, and sometimes 

 on the face of the base of the leaf. Most important distinguishing characters, colour, 

 striped leaf sheath, and form of the buds. 



Bamboo Canes. — This term frequently appears in the older literature, 

 and is very generally applied to the varieties described under the term 

 Java or Batavian canes. In the Hawaiian Islands a cane still grown on 

 higher elevations is called Yellow Bamboo, and was originally brought 

 forward as a graft ; it is probably an introduced cane of uncertain origin. 

 It is a rather small yellow cane, with a narrow rich green leaf, the sheath of 

 which is thickly covered with prickles ; the internodes are slightly convex, 

 and the eye is small and round. 



The term Bamboo is also at a very early date attached to the Kullore, 

 Cullerah or Kulloa cane of India. This is described by Roxburgh^ as a 

 light-coloured cane, growing to a great height, and to be found on swampy 

 land. Delteil^2 describes it of a yellow, pale green, and pink colour. Stubbs^i 

 calls attention to its enlarged nodes and prominent eyes. 



The Tip Canes. — The Striped Tip, and its per saltum variant the Yellow 

 Tip, are grown at higher altitudes in the Hawaiian Islands. The striped 

 variety is a small, thickly stooling cane striped dark red and pinkish green, 

 changing at maturity to yellowish red and yellow. The sheaths of the 

 young leaves have light-purplish margins and are covered with long prickles 

 which rub off easily and disappear as the leaf dies. The eye is large, long, 

 and pointed ; the nodes are prominent, and the internodes concave and 

 channelled from the eye upwards. The self-coloured variety is similar, but 

 with absence of the purple leaf margin. 



These canes are very similar to certain canes found in Mauritius, under 

 the names Branchu rayee and Branchu blanche. 



