202 THE TRUE GRASSES. 



b. Palese not keeled, resembling the flowering glumes 

 (therefore considered wanting by many) (Melocan- 

 nece). 

 a. Lodicules ; spikelets very small. 



311. Dinochloa. 

 ft. Lodicules 2-3. 



I. Fruit a small nut ; uppermost flower with 

 a prolongation of the rachilla. 



310. Schizostachyum. 



II. Fruit a large berry; uppermost flower 

 without a prolongation of the rachilla. 



312. Melocanna. 



y. Lodicules very numerous (eight or more) ; an- 

 thers mostly more than six. . 313. Ochlandra. 



SUB-TKIBE A. Arundinarieae. 

 Stamens three. 



291. (277) Arundinaria Michx. (Miegia Pers., Ludolfia 

 Willd., Triglossum Fisch.). Spikelets loose, many-flow- 

 ered, elongated, panicled or racemed ; empty glumes 

 small, unequal, the first occasionally wanting ; flowering 

 glumes not keeled, sometimes short-awned ; styles 2-3, 

 free ; fruit rather long, furrowed. Suffruticose or tall 

 shrubs. 



Species about twenty-four, in America and Asia (as 

 far east as Japan and on the Himalayas) ; several species 

 in Europe as ornamental plants : A. Japonica Sieb. 

 (Bairibusa Metake and B. mitis of the garden), which has 

 strong, transverse nerves in the leaves, withstands, un- 

 protected, the winters of France and South England ; A. 

 falcata Nees, without transverse nerves, is from the Him- 

 alayas ; A. macrosperma Michx. and A. tecta Muhl. occur 

 in N. America as far north as Maryland and Illinois. 

 The section Thamnoccdamus Muiiro (as a genus) is distin- 

 guished by its large, deciduous, spathiform leaves en- 

 veloping the spikelets and branches of the panicle. A. 

 ( Thamnocalarmis) spathiflora Eingall, a widespread species 

 in N.W. Himalayas between 2500 to 3400 m. above sea 

 level, furnishes pipe-stems which in Northern India form 

 an important article of commerce. 



