BAMBOOS AND ORNAMENTAL GRASSES FOR CALIFORNIA. 33 



ent species. Only a few of them can be classified as hardy, and, per- 

 haps, when better known to botanists, they may be found not to belong 

 to the true Bambusa at all. For the present we will call them Bam- 

 busa, anyhow. 



Among these hardy kinds the most remarkable is, to be sure, 

 B. Quadrangularis, possessing the very strange peculiarity of having 

 its canes not cylindrical, but perfectly square. They will grow up to 

 one inch thickness, and are said to attain fifty feet in northern Japan, 

 with an abundant rainfall, of course. It appears to be essentially a 

 winter grower, the new shoots starting after the fall rains. Its leaves 

 are long and drooping, and have a peculiar tufted appearance. 



B. Ruscifolia is a very pretty dwarf kind, unlike any other, suitable 

 only for borders and for covering the ground, growing not much over 

 two feet. This and the preceding will produce plenty of runners. 



B. Verticillata (name doubtful) has been grown in California for 

 more than twenty years, and was probably introduced from Japan. 

 It makes very thick clumps (never runs), and the canes, not much 

 over one-half inch thick, will reach twenty feet in good conditions. 

 They present a rich golden color when ripe, often striped with green. 

 The leaves are thickly arranged in tufts, and slightly variegated white. 

 It makes most elegant specimens, and particularly pretty when the 

 new stems begin to unfold their leaves beautifully colored in pink. 



Two more kinds of hardy bamboos, doubtfully referred to this sec- 

 tion, are what I call No. 1 and No. 2 in my catalogue, not having 

 been able to yet ascertain their botanical name. No. 1 is very distinct; 

 stems grow perfectly upright, 15 feet or more, about one inch thick, 

 and absolutely cylindrical, with no groove at all; leaves tufted, on 

 short branches that all have the same length; a great runner. Of No. 

 2 I can offer the Japanese name only, "kan-chiku." This grows very 

 thick, only four to five feet high ; stems are very thin and solid, with no 

 cavity, coming up in the fall; in Japan much prized as "winter- 

 greens." A great runner, also. 



B. Pubescens, B. Scriptoria, and a few more of doubtful name, we 

 have also in California; not much can be said of any of them for the 

 present. 



Before leaving the bamboos I will be allowed to say a word of the 

 few kinds we have that can be recommended only for where there is 

 very slight frost. Four species of Bambusa belong here, and two 

 of Dendrocalamus, all of them being often called "giant" bamboos, 

 because attaining larger size than any of the species mentioned above. 



The most known of these, although not common at all, is B. Vul- 

 garis, that will attain seventy feet and over in favorable conditions, and 

 more than four inches in diameter. I know of a clump in Los Angeles 



