PHYLLOSTACHYS PICEA 153 



broadly tapered at the base, slenderly at the apex ; 3 to 4 ins. long, f to I in. 

 wide ; glossy dark green and smooth above, slightly glaucous and downy 

 beneath, both margins toothed ; secondary veins, five to seven each side the 

 midrib. 



Native of Japan ; cultivated by Messrs Veitch at Coombe Wood in the 

 " seventies " of last century as " Bambusa viminalis," and probably introduced for 

 them during the previous decade by John Gould Veitch. A pretty bamboo suit- 

 able for a damp spot in the rock garden, being of a neat, tufted habit. It is one 

 of the most distinct of all hardy bamboos, especially in its sturdy, zigzag 

 stems, the great proportionate width of the leaves, their length of stalk, and 

 the uniformly short branches. It appears to have little in common with the 

 rest of Phyllostachys, and is probably generically distinct. 



P. VIRIDI-GLAUCESCENS, Riviere. 

 (Gardeners' Chronicle, 1894, * fig- 53 ( > Bambusa viridi-glaucescens, Carrier*.) 



Stems 14 to 1 8 ft. long, about f in. diameter, very hollow, yellowish green, 

 except at the joints, which are purplish ; the outer stems of vigorous plants 

 growing in the open arch outwards and downwards to the ground. Stem- 

 sheaths striped with close lines of purple and suffused with purple when young. 

 Leaves 2 to 5 ins. long, I to % in. wide ; abruptly tapered at the base, slender- 

 pointed, bright green above, glaucous beneath, downy only at the base of the 

 midrib beneath ; toothed on one margin ; secondary veins four to seven each 

 side the midrib ; leaf-sheath purplish, with two clusters of bristles at the top. 



Native of China ; introduced to France about 1846, and a very elegant, 

 vigorous, and useful bamboo. It is liable to be confounded with P. Quilioi 

 and with P. flexuosa, but the former is well distinguished by its mottled stem- 

 sheaths, its stouter stems, and larger leaves, whilst P. flexuosa is altogether a 

 smaller plant whose old stems are often almost black. There are also two 

 little, fringed, ear-like projections at the top of the stem-sheath that are missing 

 in P. flexuosa. P. viridi-glaucescens requires an isolated position, when it will 

 in time form a graceful mass at least 25 ft. in diameter, with pendulous plumes 

 of foliage. It spreads at the root with some freedom, and is easily 

 propagated by offsets. It never appears to have flowered under cultivation. 



P. viOLASCENS, Riviere. Allied to P. viridi-glaucescens, this is less hardy. 

 It is very distinct in having the young stems of a deep violet, almost black, 

 changing the second year to yellowish brown. The sheaths are also violet. 

 Leaves from 2 to 7 ins. long, by about one-fourth as wide ; secondary 

 veins three to eight ; stalk purplish. The best plant I have seen is at 

 Shrublands, near Ipswich, about 12 ft. high ; but frequently it is not a success, 

 growing late, and having its summer growth cut back during the ensuing 

 winter. Native of China or Japan. 



PICEA. SPRUCE. CONIFERS. 



A group of evergreen trees found in most of the cool temperate 

 regions of the northern hemisphere, of pyramidal form, especially in a young 

 state, with branches in tiers. Leaves linear or needle-like, mostly four- 

 sided, arranged spirally on the shoots, but the undermost ones usually 

 twisted at the base, so as to crowd them more on the upper side of the 

 twig than on the lower. Each leaf is seated on a slight cushion which, if 

 the leaf be gently pulled off downwards whilst fresh, it brings mostly 

 away. When, however, the leaf falls naturally, or the twig is dried for 

 II L 



