200 THE TRUE GRASSES. 



acids, the alkalies thus formed are re-absorbed together 

 with the water, and a silicious jelly remains which hardens 

 into Tabasheer. It is believed that the accounts of the 

 ancients (Dioscorides, Plinius) which speak of aaKxapov 

 and Saccharum do not refer to sugar, but to Tabasheer : 

 perhaps the accounts of the two are confounded. The 

 name comes from the Sanskrit (not Persian) word 

 Tavakkshira, meaning milk of the bark. [The present 

 name in Bengal, Hindostan and in the Dekkan is Baus- 

 lochan, Bans-kapur.*] 



Many species of bamboo are highly ornamental 

 plants : the Chinese and Japanese have planted them 

 for ages ; and in Europe, especially in the South, where 

 many can be kept in the open air, as well as in the green- 

 houses of the North, their use is becoming more general 

 and frequent. 



A. Stamens three ; palea two-keeled ; fruit a true caryopsis 

 (Arundinariece). 



a. Spikelets two- to many -flowered (very rarely one- 

 flowered 'Phyttostachys). 



a. Spikelets with no Subtending leaf. 



I. Empty glumes 1-2. . . 291. Arundinaria. 



II. Empty glumes 3-4. 292. Arthrostylidium. 

 ft. The 1-2 spikelets surrounded by a large leaf at 



their base 293. Phyllostachys. 



b. Spikelets one-flowered. 



a. In a compact globose head. 294. Athroostachys. 

 ft. In a one-sided spike. . . 295. Merostachys. 

 y. In panicles. 



I. Stem woody, leaves jointed at the base. 



296. Chusquea. 

 II. Stem herbaceous, leaves not jointed. 



297. Planotia. 



B. Stamens six, fruit a true caryopsis with a delicate peri- 

 carp (Eitbambusew}. 



a. Filaments free. 



a. Spikelets one-flowered, with many empty 

 glumes 298. Nastus. 



* For a more complete account of Tabasheer, see Cohn's "Beitr. 

 z. Biologie d. Pfl.,"vol. 4, part 3, and " Zeitschr. d. allg. ost, Apo- 

 theker-Ver.," 1887, No. 9, 10 (by Poleck). 



