562 LXXVIII. GRAMINEjE. [Arundinaria. 



Csespitose shrubs with slender, mostly annual stems ; spike- 

 lets pedunculate, racemose or paniculate ; stamens 3. 

 Branches of panicle in the axils of small linear bracts . 1. Ahundinaria. 

 Branches of panicle in the axils of large amplexicaul bracts 2. Thamnocalamus. 

 Compact clumps of tall perennial stems ; spikelets generally- 

 sessile, in interrupted spikes ; stamens 6. 

 Lodicules 2 or 3 ; style deciduous, deeply 2- or 3-fid ; em- 

 j bryo conspicuous on the surface of the caryopsis . 3. Bambusa. 

 Lodicules none ; style filiform, undivided or 2-3-fid at the 

 apex, base persistent ; embryo not conspicuous on the 

 surface of the caryopsis 4. Dendrocalamds. 



1. ARUNDINARIA, Michaux. 



Stems slender, generally annual, erect, csespitose, with small leaves. 

 Inflorescence generally terminal, paniculate or racemose ; in some species 

 the flowers are on distinct leafless culms. Spikelets 2-1 2-flowered, flowers 

 distant, distichous, imbricate, mostly bisexual, the terminal generally ster- 

 ile. Empty glumes 2, narrow, with few nerves, the lower smaller than 

 the upper. Flowering glume concave, with numerous nerves. Palea 2- 

 keeled, narrow, generally shorter than the flowering glume. Scales 3, cili- 

 ate. Stamens 3. Style divided at the top into 2 or 3 plumose stigmas. 

 Caryopsis terete, with a deep furrow. 



1. A. falcata, Nees ; Munro in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxvi. 26. Syn. A. 

 utilis, Cleghorn. Vern. Nirgdl, nigal, ringed, nagre, narri, garri, gero. 

 Local n. JSpiug, gorwa, spikso, pitso, Kunawar ; Kivei, Tibet ; Prong, 



KW.P. 



Stems annual, 6-10 ft. high, densely csespitose, \-\ in. diam., hollow, 

 internodes 6-12 in. long, the sheaths on young shoots thinly membran- 

 ous, glabrous 6-7 in. long, tapering into a subulate apex \\ in. long. 

 Branches slender, numerous, in compact half-whorls. Leaves linear, 4-5 

 in. long, \-\ in. broad, glabrous above, with scattered soft long hairs 

 underneath; midrib prominent, whitish, longitudinal nerves numerous, 

 3-5 pair, prominent ; no transverse veins. Flower-bearing stem leafless ; 

 branches slender, numerous, in compact half-whorls. Spikelets in pani- 

 culate racemes, the principal ramifications in the axils of short linear or 

 ovate membranous bracts. Spikelets lax, J-J in. long, 2-3-flowered, the 

 terminal flowers generally sterile. Empty glumes 2, about half the 

 length of the lowest flower, membranous, with prominent longitudinal 

 nerves, apex obtuse, ciliate. Flowering glume scabrous, acute, 7-9-nerved, 

 membranous, hairy at the apex. Palea as long as the flowering glume, 

 2-keeled, with longitudinal nerves outside the keels. Scales 3-nerved 

 and fimbriate. Style deeply bifid. 



North- West Himalaya between 4500 and 10,000 ft., ascending to 12,000 ft. 

 from the Ravi to Nepal, abundant in places, gregarious, often forming under- 

 wood in moist forests of Abies Smithiana, A. Webbiana, Quercus semecarpifolia. 

 Fl. May, the seeds ripen in August. Clusters compact, of 100 or more stems, 

 attains 20-40 ft. according to Madden. Hardy in England. Two kinds are 

 generally distinguished, one growing at lower elevations (up to 7000 ft.), thinner, 



