670 CXII. GEAMINEJE [Bamhma 



diffuse leafy panicle, palea minutely ciliate at the tip only, anthers exserted, yellow^ 

 ovary obovate, pubescent above, stigmas almost sessile. 



B, Fertile fl. numerous, spikelets flat, more or less distichous. 



12. B. Balcooa, Roxb. ; Gamble, t. 39. Vern. Bhalkua, Beng. ; 

 Baluka, DeohanSj Ass. ; Wamna^ Garo. 



Densely tufted, culms 50-80 ft., lower branches stiff, leafless, interned es 

 8-18 in., 3-6 in. diam., walls thick. Culm-sheaths with ciliate edges, auricles- 

 narrow, not falcate, the upper 10-14 in. long, blade 6-8 in., lower culm-sheaths- 

 smaller. L. 6-12 by 1-2 in., pet. very short, sheath with long white hairs,, 

 ligule membranous, broadly triangular, n. 21-30 on J in. Spikelets ovate,, 

 ^-\ in. long, conspicuous by the protrudiog fimbriate keels of palese, 4-6-fld., 

 in compact half-whorled heads, on long spikes in large compound, sometimes, 

 leaf-bearing panicles. Anthers apiculate, yellow. Ovary ovoid, narrowed 

 into a long hairy style. 



Assam. Lower Bengal. Behar. Gorakhpnr. Flowers at long intervals. Highly 

 esteemed in Bengal for scaffolding and building. Commonly cultivated near villages. 

 (Upendranath Kanjilal, the Bhalkua Bans of Bengal, Ind. For. xvii. 53.) 13. 

 B. vulgaris, Schrader; Gamble, t. 40. Syn. B. Thouarsii, Kunth. Vern. JBariala^ 

 Chittagong. Vansa Kullaka^ Bombay. Home uncertain. Cultivated in tropical 

 India, Tufted, but clumps not dense, culms polished, often striped green and yellow, 

 20-50 ft. high, internodes 10-18 in. long, diam. 3-5 in., culm-sheaths clothed outside 

 with brown hairs, when young often streaked with green and yellow, 6-10 in. long, 

 top concavely truncate, blade triangular with falcate ciliate auricles at the base. 

 L. 16-12 by 1-2 in., hairy beneath when young, n, 21-39 on J in., transverse veins- 

 visible on the lower surface, leaf -sheath appressed white hairy. Spikelets compressed, 

 i~l by \ in., 6-10-iid., palea thin, nerves between the keels indistinct, style long hairy,, 

 stigmas 3, plumose. 14. B. Kingiana, Gamble, t. 42. Thaih-waho^ Burm. Katha 

 district, Upper Bi\rma. Culms 60-70 It. long, up to 4 in. diam. L. 10-12 by 1-2^ in.,. 

 n. 27-86 on J in., transv. veins indistinctly visible. Spikelets purple, ^ in. long, in 

 clusters of 1-6, fertile fl. 4-6, empty and ii. glumes ciliate along the edges, anthers 

 with a tuft of penicillate hairs. 15. B. lineata, Munro; Gamble, t. 43. Syn. 

 B. Mumphiana, Kurz in Ind. For. i. 341. Butland Island, Andamans. — Marshy coast 

 forests of Amboina and other islands of the Malay Archip. Tufted, internodes- 

 16-24 in. long, ^-1 in. diam., walls thin, branches single, not whorled, culm-sheaths 

 about 6 in long, clothed when young with golden-brown hairs, blade as long assheathy 

 ovate cuspidate. L. 10-15 by 1-3 in., pale beneath, n. on J in. 24-27, pet. broad,, 

 very short, leaf-sheaths ribbed, keeled, fringed at the mouth with long stiff bristles, 

 ligule stiffly fimbriate. FL annually, panicle leafy, branches as well as spikelets in 

 the axils of truncate sheaths. Spikelets sessile, ^ in. long, fertile fl. about 10, glumes 

 — empty and flowering — long-mucronate, edges ciliate. Lodicules 0. 16. B. Binghami^ 

 Gamble, t. 41. Ngackat-wa Burm. Nyaungdaungle forest, Tenasserim. L. 8-6 by 

 J-| in., a few white stiff cilia at the mouth of sheath, n. 42-45 on J in. Spikelets 

 often in the axils of truncate sheaths, J in. long, fertile fl. 5-6, glumes mucronate,. 

 keel cilia of palea conspicuous. 



C. Fertile fl. 1-4. 



17. B Oliveriana, Gamble, t. 116. Vern. Wapyusan, Burm. Upper Burma, hills east 

 of the Irawaddi north of Mandalay, 1-2,000 ft., in moist deciduous forest in patches.. 

 Tufted, culms 40-45 ft., branched from the base upwards, internodes about 14 in. long, 

 1-2 in. diam. Culm-sheaths thin, nearly glabrous, striate, 8-10 in., top convex, blade 

 triangular, 4-8 in. long. L. thin, glabrous, 4-7 by J-f in., n. 33-39 on J in., leaf- 

 sheaths striate, glabrous. Spikelets J in. long, 1-3 together in bracteate clusters on 

 drooping one-sided spikes. Fertile fl. 2-4, with an imperfect fl. on a long glabrous 

 rachilla, lodicules 3, obovate, long fimbriate, anthex's obtuse, long-exserted, striped red 

 and yellow, afterwards dull purple. Ovary hairy, style short, stigmas 2, plumose* 

 18. B. schizostacJiyoides, Kurz \ Gamble, t. 44. Syn. Cephalo^ituchyum schizoBtachyoides^ 

 Kurz F. Fl. ii. 565. South Andaman. Tufted, culms 20-30 ft., internodes 18-24 in. 

 long, 3-4 in. diam., walls very thin. L. 4-7 by |-1 in., n. 30-33 on J in, Spikelets. 

 ■J in. long, sessile in lateral clusters supported by truncate bracts (sheaths without a 

 blade), fertile fl. 2-8, palea narrow, membranous, acuminate, anthers apiculate, base- 

 unequal. 19. B. GtriffitMana, Munro ; Gamble t. 45. Syn. Dendrocalamm Griffifhianus, 

 Kurz, F. Fl. ii. 562. Manipur. Near Mogaung, Upper Burma. Subsoandent, culms 

 slender, 1. 15-18 by 3 in., pale beneath, n. 18-20 on J in., leaf -sheath at the mouth with 

 large auricles, fringed with long bristles. Branches of panicle thick, hollow, walls* 



