434 GEAMiNEiE. [Jrundinaria. 



1 A. Wightii, Nees; Rupr. Bamh. 36. Flowering stems not above 3 

 lines diameter, sometimes shortly spinous at the nodes. Upper leaves broadly 

 lanceolate, about \ in. broad, the midrib and principal vems prominent un- 

 derneath. Panicles short;, loose, and more slender than m most^amboos. 

 Spikelets about \ in. long, all pediceUate, 3- or 4-flowered, the rhachis shortly 

 silky-haiiy. Glumes ribbed, the floweiing ones 3 or 4 lines long, the outer 

 empty ones rather shorter. 



Hongkong, WrigU. In the Indian Peninsula and Silhet. Inserted on tte authority of 

 Col. Munro. I have not seen Chinese specimens, and can only descnbe it from imperfect 

 Indian ones. 



46. BAMBUSA, Linn. 



Spikelets several-flowered, awnless, sessile, and clustered along the branches 

 of a panicle which is also usually clustered. Lower flowers of each spikelet 

 usually male, and sometimes the uppermost also. Glumes concave, stiff, the 

 2 or 3 outer empty ones smaller. Paleas naiTow, about as long as the glumes, 

 enclosing the flower. Stamens 6. Stems shrubby or arborescent. Leaves 

 broad, often stalked above their sheath. 



A tropical genus, common to the New and the Old World. Although called shrubby or 

 arborescent from their great height and hard branching stems, the Bamboos bear little re- 

 semblance to ordinary trees, and in many species the stems attain their fall height of 60 

 or 70 feet in the course of a few weeks. 



Spikelets dense, ovate or ovate-oblong. Glumes very broad .... 1. 5. vertidllata. 

 Spikelets loose, lanceolate or linear. Glumes narrow. 



Glumes rather obtuse, i in. long . 2. .B. TuJda. 



Glumes very pointed, 4 or 5 lines long ... 3. -B. Arundo. 



1. B. verticillata, Willd.; Kunth, Enum. i. 433. Stems 6 or 7 ft. 

 high or more. Leaves 3 or 3 in. broad, the midrib prominent. Liflorescence 

 simple or slightly branched, often 3 ft. long or more, the rhachis pubescent, 

 the spikelets in clusters of 3 to 6, at regular intervals of 1 to 1^ in. Each 

 spikelet ovate or ovate-oblong, slightly compressed, f in. long. Glumes very 

 broad, stiif and shining, shortly ciliate and often pubescent on the edges, the 

 lowest flower usually male, the others all fertile. Palea hairy. Style very 

 long, with short stigmatic lobes. 



Hongkong, Banee. Possibly planted by the Chinese, as it is in other parts of China, in 

 eastern India, and the Archipelago. 



3. B. Tiilda, Tioxb. M. Ind. ii. 193. A veiy tail species; the stems 

 according to Eoxburgh attaining 20 to 70 ft., and 6 to 12 in. in diameter, in 

 the course of about thirty days. Leaves ^ to 1 in. broad ; the midiib pu- 

 bescent and prominent underneath. Flowering shoots leafless, foi-ming one 

 long, waving compound panicle, with deciduous sheathing bracts at the rami- 

 fications. Spikelets solitary or 2 or 3 together along the last ramifications, 

 1 in. long or more, with 4 to 8 alternate distant flowers, often all hemaphi-o- 

 dite. Outer empty glumes veiy short, flowering ones about \ in. long, lan- 

 ceolate, mostly obtuse. Ovary obovate, haiiy. Style vei-y short, with 3 

 plumose stigmas. 



Hongkong, Hance. Also near Canton, common in Bengal and other pai'ts of India. 



3. B. Arundo, Klein; Bupr. Bamh. 63. Stems tall. Leaves broad. 



