228 Queries and Answers. 



known in this country, some of your readers may be gratified by a translation of the generic as 

 well as specific characters, from the description given by Humboldt in his rare and expensive 

 work, Flantes Equinoctiales, which can be accessible only to very few of your readers. PI. 

 Equinoct., No. 20. p. 68. 



Bambusa, Bamboo. Hexand. Monog. Linn. ; Nat. Ord. GramineEe, Jitss. 

 Reformed generic character. The common husk of two to five valves, many-flowered ; the 

 valvules distinct, and successively increasing in size; the spikelets or small shoots (locusts), 

 sometimes somewhat flattened, two-ranked, few-flowered, sometimes cylindrical, pointed, many- 

 flowered. The partial husk two-valved; the outer valvule lanceolate, concave, embracing the 

 inner valvule, which has its margins folded together, is three-sided, and is placed round the 

 pistil and stamina. Two innermost little scales are placed in contact with the ovary. Stamina : 

 filaments six, external (exserta), of the fineness of a hair ; anthers incumbent. Pistil : ovary 

 sometimes furnished with a short partial flower-stalk; style, single, short; stigmata, two or 

 more, feathery. Seed-vessel, a single seed covered with the interior valvule of the partial calyx. 

 — Habit. Plants perennial, lolty, of the habit of the reed; the younger branches curved back- 

 wards ; pungent ; leaves jointed, deciduous. 



Species.* 

 arundin&cea, reed-like ; De Retz. obs. 5. p. 24. Linn. sp. pi. 120. Vastus, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 34. 

 agrestis, wild ; Rumph. Amb. 1. 6. cap. 6. tab. 3. 

 mltis, reclaimed ; Rumph. Amb. 1. 6. cap. 6. tab. 3. 

 multiplex, manifold; Rumph. Amb. 1. 6. cap. 1. tab. 1. verticillata, or whorled, according 



Willdenow. 

 maxima, largest ; Rumph. 1. 6. p. 12. ... 



fax, torch ; Rumph. Amb. 1. 6. cap. 2. 

 tabacdria, tobacco 1 Rumph. Amb. 1. 6. cap. 3. 



Qu. whether this be not a variety of B. verticillata or whorled. 

 To these Humboldt has added two species, natives of South America, v/hich he has figured 

 under the names of latifc-lia, broad-leaved, Guadua, Guadua; Humboldt. PI. Equinoct. No. 20. 



ft. 68. which he thus describes : — " Panicle loose, with few spikelets, of one or two inches in 

 ength, somewhat rowed. Leaves narrow, lanceolate. Stalk, tree-like, straight, of six fathoms 

 long and more, knotty, polished, branching from the bottom to the top ; the branches closer 

 at the summit, the space between the knots of the length of a foot, and of six inches in diameter, 

 pipy, surrounded with sheaths which are close set without with stiff' hairs, smooth within, and 

 at length fall off. Branches cylindrical, heaped together, the younger ones before they are un- 

 folded piercing at the point, and curved backwards ; but after they are unfolded, upright. Leaves 

 alternate, fiat, jointed at the point of the sheath, deciduous. Sheaths long-continuing, hairy at 



the neck. Flowers, loosely disposed in subdivided panicles (subpaniculati). The common husk 



two-valved, many-flowered, the florets disposed on a cylindrical rowed spikelet of one or two 

 inches in length. The partial husk two-valved. Pistil hairy. Ovary placed on a short partial 

 flower stalk. Stigmata, three, violet-coloured. Two small scales, oval, fringed (fimbriato- 

 ciliata?). Seed oblong. 



" This species inhabits the warm regions of America, where it is called Guadua by the natives, 

 whence its specific name. 



" The bamboos of America offer the same advantages as in India. The Guadua bamboo is 

 solely employed for the construction of entire houses. The oldest and largest stalks serve to 

 form the walls ; with the smaller ones the inhabitants form the main roof. The upper cover- 

 ing is composed of the young branches of the plant, furnished with leaves as they are, and 

 of which they put many layers one over the other. The doors, the tables, even the beds, 

 are made of bamboos. The advantages which the inhabitants of America find, in making use of 

 this plant, rather than of the very lefty and very hard timber which surrounds them, are, 1. 

 the facility with which they cut them, and transport them to very great distances; 2. the 

 small degree of labour which is required, since the inhabitants employ the plants entire, or only 

 split lengthways into two parts; 3. in its durability, which may be compared to that of the 

 best timber; 4. and lastly, in the circumstance that their houses, all open to the air, and 

 protected from the heat of the rays of the sun by a wide and thick roof, preserve within doors 

 a cool and agreeable temperature in the midst of the strongest heat of the day. 



" It is particularly in the mountain of Quindiu, that the Guadua bamboo grows ; it forms 

 forests of many leagues in extent, and appears to delight in elevated situations, which offer it a 

 mild temperature. It descends also into the very hot valleys, but is never seen on the high 

 mountains. We have cut a great number of bamboos, and in all of them we have found clear 

 water of an agreeable taste." 



From other parts of Humboldt's works it appears that this plant has taken its name from the 

 little town of Guadua, around which it flourishes in great abundance, and which is not very 

 distant from Santa Fe de Bogota, the capital of New Granada, or Colombia ; that it grows 

 principally in the mountain bogs, in the like elevation as many of the beautiful species of oak 

 which enrich the forests of that country, and at which elevation snowoccasionally falls, though 

 far below the regions of perpetual snow ; it is in the terra templada, as it is called, or temperate 

 region. It therefore appears by no means impossible, and even very probable, that this bamboo, 

 which seems to flourish in a lower temperature than any other known bamboo, may succeed in 

 the temperate climates of Guernsey, Jersey, Cornwall, Devonshire, and the back of the Isle of 

 Wight ; and that its culture may possibly be gradually extended to more inland and colder 

 situations. It would at all events add a new and interesting inmate to our green-houses ; I should 

 delight to see it aspiring above Mr. Loddiges' palms, by the side of the Ceroxylon andicola, which, I 

 am sure, he will soon obtain. But I by no means despair of seeing the bogs and marshes of our 

 southern counties rendered productive of these gigantic reeds, furnishing to the fenmen longer 

 and lighter stilts and leaping poles ; more magnificent cover for wild fowl ; better poles for punts 

 and barges, and all inland navigation ; better spars for vessels ; lighter, stiffer, and more portable 

 materials for bridges, rafts, hurdles, fences of every description, for supporting stack cloths ; 

 shafts for wheel-carriages, for scaffolding poles, rafters, principals, and side timbers of roofs, 

 flooring joists, beams ; and for every other purpose wherein a light, elastic, stiff, straight, and 



* R. Sweet, in his Horius Britdnnicus, enumerates only two species as known in our hot-houses 

 Bambusa nrundinacea and B. verticillata. 



