206 



THE TRUE GRASSES. 



Usually tall arborescent shrubs or climbers, with 

 simple or compound, rarely capitate, panicles ; spikelets 

 in fascicles along the branches of the inflorescence. There 

 are three geographically distinct sections : 



Sec. I. EiUbambiLsa. Palea with projecting keels, which, 

 however, are not at all, or only indistinctly, winged. 



FIG. 109. Bambusa vulyaris Wendland. Habit (fa). (After Maout and 

 Dec., Traite de Bot.) 



Species thirty (besides several which are kn6wn only 

 by their leaves), all belonging to the Old World. B. 

 Balcooa Roxb. and B. Tulda Roxb. are esteemed as the 



