5 4-O Grammes Gyneriurn . 



most striking objects of the landscape garden, growing in 

 dense tufts with narrow coriaceous gracefully recurved leaves 

 5 to 7 feet long, and flower-shaft 10 to 12 feet high bearing a 

 dense terminal silvery panicle. The female plant is mcst 

 sought after on account of its larger and more beautiful flower- 

 spikes, due to the feathery stigmas. Other varieties have been 

 raised with purplish or yellow panicles, and also one or two of 

 a dwarfer habit. South America. 



2. BAMBfrSA. 



The Bamboo-Canes are readily distinguished by their jointed 

 leafy flexuose branching stems, but those species which will 

 endure the rigours of our winters are mere miniatures of the 

 tropical species, some of which rise to a height of 60 or 70 feet. 

 Although they possess branched stems, they, like all other 

 Grasses, only flower once from the same culm ; thus the 

 appearance of the flower announces the death of the flowering 

 stem. The flowers of most Bamboos are hexandrous. The stems 

 are usually hollow and jointed, and when mature of a hard 

 woody nature, and the leaves relatively shorter, lanceolate, and 

 narrowed at the base. The hardy species or varieties are from 

 Japan and China, and seldom attain a height of more than 10 

 or 12 feet in the most sheltered situations, and they are only 

 suitable for planting in the South and West. 



1. B. Metake, syn. B. 'Japonica. A dwarf much-branched 

 species from 4 to 6 feet high. Leaves dark green, lanceolate, 

 very acute, shortly petiolate ; blade about a foot long, sheath 

 ample. This species flowers freely in this country. 



2. B. falcata, syn. Arundinaria falcata. A taller-growing 

 hardy species from 10 to 15 feet, or in favourable situations 

 occasionally as much as 20 feet high. Leaves bright pale 

 green, distichous, linear-acute, about 4 or 5 inches long. 



3. B. viridi-glaucescens. This is said to be one of the 

 hardiest of the taller-growing kind, attaining a height of 9 to 

 12 feet. A very beautiful species with yellowish-green glaucous 

 foliage. 



4. B. nigra. A dwarf bushy species distinguished by its 

 purplish ultimately glossy black stems. 



5. B. Fortunei. A dwarf tufted plant from 1 to 2 feet high 

 with very slender stems and long linear leaves. There are 

 only variegated varieties of this in cultivation, under the names 

 variegata and argenteo-vittata. 



