434 GRAMINE.E. {Arundinaria. 



1. A. "Wightii, Nees; Rupr. Bamh. 26. Flowering stems not above 3 

 lines diameter, sometimes shortly spinous at the nodes. Upper leaves broadly 

 lanceolate, about ^ in. broad, the midrib and principal veins prominent un- 

 derneatli. Panicles short, loose, and more slender than in most Bamboos. 

 Spikelets about | in. long, all pedicellate, 3- or 4 -flowered, the rhachis shortly 

 silky-hairy. Glumes ribbed, the flowering ones 3 or 4 lines long, the outer 

 empty ones rather shorter. 



Hongkong, Wright. In the Indian Peninsnla and Silhet. Inserted on the authority of 

 Cob Munro." I have not seen Chinese specimens, and can only describe it from imperfect 

 Indian ones. 



46. BAMBUSA, Linn. 



Spikelets several-flowered, awnless, sessile, and clustered along the brandies 

 of a panicle wliich is also nsually clustered. Lower flowers of each spikelet 

 usually male, and sometimes the uppermost also. Glumes concave, stiff, the 

 2 or 3 outer empty ones smaller. Paleas narrow, about as long as the glumes, 

 enclosing the flower. Stamens 6. Stems shrubby or arborescent. Leaves 

 broad, often stalked above their sheath. 



A tropical genus, common to the New and the Old World. Although called shrubby or 

 arborescent from their great height and hard branching stems, the Bamboos bear little re- 

 semblance to ordinary trees, and in many species the stems attain thek full height of 60 

 or 70 feet in the course of a few weeks. 



Spikelets dense, ovate or ovate-oblong. Glumes very broad . . . 1. ^. verlicUlata. 

 Spikelets loose, lanceolate or linear. Glumes narrow. 



Glumes rather obtuse, \ in. long 2. B. Talda. 



Glumes very pointed, 4 or 5 Hnes long 3. i?. Arundo. 



1. B. verticillata, Willd. ; Kuntli,Bnum.'\.^^1. Stems 6 or 7 ft. 

 high or more. Leaves 2 or 3 in. broad, the midrib prominent. Liflorescencc 

 simple or slightly branched, often 2 ft. long or more, the rhachis pubescent, 

 the spikelets in clusters of 3 to 6, at regular intervals of 1 to 1^ in. Each 

 spikelet ovate or ovate-oblong, slightly compressed, f in. long. Glumes veiy 

 broad, stiff and shining, shortly ciliate and often pubescent on the edges, the 

 lowest flower usually male, the others all fertile. Palea hairy. Style very 

 long, with shori stigraatic lobes. 



Hongkong, Hance. Possibly planted by the Chinese, as it is in other parts of China, in 

 eastern India, and the Archipelago. 



2. B. Tulda, Roxh. Fl. Lid. ii. 193. A very tall species; the stems 

 according to Koxburgh attaining 20 to 70 ft., and 6 to 12 in. in diameter, in 

 the course of about thirty days. Leaves |- to I in. broad; the midrib pu- 

 bescent and prominent underneath. Plowering shoots leafless, forming one 

 long waving compound panicle, with deciduous sheatliing bracts at the rami- 

 fications. Spikelets solitary or 2 or 3 together along the last ramifications, 

 1 in. long or more, with 4 to 8 alternate distant flowers, often all hermaphro- 

 dite. Outer empty glumes very short, flowering ones about ^ in. long, lan- 

 ceolate, mostly obtuse. Ovai-y obovate, hairy. Style veiy short, with 3 

 plumose stigmas. 



Hongkong, Ranee. Also near Canton, common in Bengal and other parts of India. 



3. B. Arundo, Klein ; Rupr. Bamh. 53. Stems tall. Leaves broad. 



