18 



On Sasa, a New Genus of Bambusese, and its 



Affinities. 



By 

 T. Makino and K. Shibata. 



With Plate I. 



As is well known a number of indigenous species of bamboo-plants 

 have been recorded from Japan as belonging to the genus Bambusa, as for 

 examples, B. senanensis Fr. et Sav., B. palmata Marliac, B. Vei'ehii Cariv, 

 B. borealis Hack. etc. These plants were referred to this genus according 

 to their possession of six stamens, which character having been hitherto 

 regarded as of great systematic importance for the Bambusea?. Yet a closer 

 examination of these species with regard to their external as well as 

 to internal structures renders it very difficult to acknowledge their position 

 in the genus Bambusa, and we have been convinced that they should be 

 reasonably separated from Bambusa and erected into a new genus, for which 

 we propose the name Sas«^ The genus may be briefly diagnosed as 

 follows : — 



b, gen. nov. 



(Arnndinaria sect. Bambusoides, Shibata et Makino, in Bamb. Jap. in 

 Bot. Mag., Tokyo, XIV, p. 20 ; Bambnsa auct. partim.) 



Spicula3 4- 13 -flowered, narrow, more or less compressed ; rachilla arti- 

 culated. Flowers closely or laxly disposed on the rachilla, lanceolate, herma- 

 phrodite but the terminal one imperfect. Empty glumes 2, small, unequal, 

 membranaceous, closely approximate or sometimes a little remote, the inferior 

 one often very minute. Flowering glume much larger than the empty 

 glumes, chartaceous or membranaceous, ecarinate, many nerved, sharply 

 pointed at the apex. Palea usually very slightly shorter or rarely longer than 

 the flowering glume, distinctly bicarinate, usually bifid at the apex, membrana- 

 ceous. Lodiculfe 3. Stamens 6 (rarely fewer), exserted ; filaments free. Ovary 

 glabrous ; styles short, connate below or nearly connate into one ; stigmas 



l)"Sasa" is the common Japanese name signifying " small bamboos" and Las 

 already been used by Siebold in an analogous sense in his Syn. PI. Oecon. Jap. 



