GRAMINEAE 105 



1. L. chlnensis (L.) Nees. 



A tali; rather slender or somewhat stout, tufted, annual grass 0.6 to 

 ■1 m high. Leaves 10 to 30 cm long, 8 mm wide or less, the sheaths loose. 

 Inflorescence 20 to 30 cm long, the spike-like branches numerous, slender, 

 spreading, 6 io 10 cm long. Spikelets 2.S to 3 mm long, green or purplish, 

 about 5-flowered. 



In shallow water, margins of the Pasig River, in low wet places, and 

 sometimes in cultivated lands, fl. all the year; widely distributed in the 

 Philippines. India to Japan southward to Australia. 



43. BAMBUSA Schreber' 



Erect shrubs or trees, tufted, the stem-sheaths broad, their blades usually 

 triangular. Leaves shortly-petioled, the sheaths variously auricled. Inflor- 

 escence generally of large leafless or leafy panicles. Spikelets 1- to 

 many-flowered, the empty glumes 1 to 4; flowering glumes ovate-lanceolate. 

 Stamens 6. Ovary oblong or obovate, tip hairy. Grain oblong or linear 

 oblong, the pericarp thin, adherent. (From the Indian name.) 



Species about 55, tropical Asia, Malaya, and Australia, 5 in the Phil- 

 ippines. " 



1, Shrubby, slender, 2 to 3 m high 1. B. glaucescens 



1. Arborescent coarse species. 

 2. Stems naked below, spineless. 



3. Stems green 2. B. vulgaris 



3. Stems yellow, or yellow with green stripes.. 2. B. vulgaris var. striata 



2. Stems surrounded at the base with spreading and interlaced spiny 



branches : , 3. B. blumeana 



1. B. GLAUCESCENS (Wild.) Sieb. (B. nana Roxb.). Cauayan China (Tag.). 

 A dwarfed shrubby species 1 to 3 m high, the stems 1 to 2 cm in diameter. 



Leaves small, linear-lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, 3 to 10 cm long. 

 Spikelets few, clustered or solitary on the branches, Ito 3 cm long. 



Occasionally cultivated as a hedge plant, introduced. A native of China 

 and Japan, not as yet found in flower in the Philippines. 



2. B. VULGARIS Schrad. Cauayan quiling (Tag.). 



Erect, loosely tufted, the stems up to 17 m in height and 15 cm iu 

 diameter, green, naked at the base, not supplied with spiny branches. 

 Leaves lanceolate, acuminate, up to 35 cm long and 4 cm wide, often 

 smaller, the sheaths auriculate at the apex. Spikelets oblong, clustered 

 along the branches of the inflorescence, about 1.5 cm long. 



In thickets,. Masambong, not uncommon, rarely flowering; widely dis- 

 tributed in the Philippines and probably not a native of the Archipelago, 

 but of prehistoric introduction. Tropics generally. 



*Var. STRIATA (Lodd.) Gamble. 



. Stems about 12 m high, 5 to 6 cm in diameter, spineless, naked at the 

 base, the internodes 20 to 25 cm long, hard, rather bright-yellow, often 

 striped with green. Leaves about 20 cm long, 1.5 to 4 cm wide. 



'For a consideration of the known species of Philippine bamboos see 

 Gamble, J. S., 'Bambuseae "of the Philippine Islands." Philip. Journ. Sci. 5 

 (1910) Bot. 267-281. 



