674 CXII. GRAMINE^ [Oxyfenanthera 



sheathj ligule large, ^-1 in. long. Lower internodes of leaf-bearing branchlets 

 5-7 in. long, 1. 6-10 by 1 in., n. 27-34 on J in., pet. very short. Fl. irregular^, 

 at times in single clumps, at others gregariously over large areas. Branches 

 of panicle long, slender, fistulose, spikelets i-f in. long, slender, curved, in 

 compact half-whorls, glumes conspicuously white-ciliate. Grain cylindric, 

 glabrous, beaked. 



Upper Burma. Slian States east of the Salweeii river. Martaban and Tenasserim, 

 abundant, less common in Pegu. A had companion for Teak, as tlie tangled masses 

 of low arching stems tend to smotber and break down the saplings, wliile those w hich 

 survive are not drawn up by the Bamboo and not forced to form tall and clean stems. 

 Tree growth does not generally flourish where the species is abundant (cf. H. N. 

 Thompson in Forest Report Southern Circle, Upper Burma, 1900-1901). 



2. 0. nigrociliata, Munro*, Gamble, t. 60. Syn. 0. auriadata, Prain, Bengal Plants 

 1234 *, Gigantochloa andamanica^ Ivurz, and auriculata, Kurz ; Bamhusa cfiiriculafa, 

 Kurz ; Gamble, t. 49. Yern. Kalia^ Beng. ; Talagu wa^ Burm. (Kurz). Garo hills 

 (Washut). Silhet. Chittagong. Lower Pegu (Kurz). Tenasserim. Andamans, in the 

 semi-deciduous forest, often associated with Padouk, also on banks of streams forming 

 the lower fringe of the evergreen forest. Nicobars.— Singapore. Densely tufted, ever- 

 green, gregarious, culms erect, straight, 30-50 ft., internodes 18-30 in., diam. 2-4 in. 

 Culm-sheaths 6-16 in., densely covered with black hairs, which readily come off on the 

 middle line, leaving two longitudinal hairy belts, apex 1^-3 in. wide, convexly truncate, 

 blade triangular or lanceolate, shorter than sheath, with two small round auricles. L. 

 8-16 by 1-2^ in., thin hairs up to -^^ in. long on the underside, chiefly on young L, n. 

 24-30 on i in., transverse veins distinctly visible, leaf-sheaths terminating m 2 small 

 thick glossy auricles. Panicles large, leafy, branches pubescent, fertile spikelets narrow, 

 cylindric-lanceolate, J-IJ in. long, with numerous smaller sterile ones, in distant half- 

 whorls, supported by broad sometimes elongate coriaceous bracts. "Fh 1-3, glumes 

 conspicuously fringed along the edge with stiff black or brown hairs, longitud. n. 

 15-27, transv. veins few or none. Empty glumes usually 4, ovate, muoronate, palea 

 bristly bidentate at apex, lodicules 0. Staminal-tube in the young fl. as long as ovary, 

 thick, 6 fibro-vascular bundles leading to the teeth which bear the anthers, growing 

 out rapidly into a thin hyaline tube up to 1 in. long, elegantly marked by 6 lines of 

 torn spiral vessels, the remains of the flbro- vascular bundles. Anthers J-| in. long, 

 purple, exserted, terminating in a sharp hispid apiculus. Ovary and style densely 

 clothed with stiff hairs. Caryopsis cylindric. Easily propagated by cut pieces of 

 culms with the sheaths on^ which, if pegged down upon the ground, root at the nodes. 

 El. frequently. To this Mr. Gramble refers Bolmigi Bans of Khorda, Orissa. Speci- 

 mens (1. culms and culm-sheaths) received from Southern Pegu as Talagu-^wa may 

 possibly belong to this. They differ in the following points : Internodes softly velvety 

 while young, walls thick, ring at the nodes slanting, l.-sheaths keeled, elegantly 

 ribbed, apex rounded not auriculate. 3. 0. parvifolia, Brandis; G-amble, t. 63. Yun- 

 zalin, Thaihtu-myintu^ Burm. ; Wamo^ Kar. (B. B. March, 1880). Culm-sheaths 

 coriaceous, 8-10 in. long. L. 3-5 by ^-f in., pet. slender, f-j in. long, n. 33 on J in. 

 Spikelets | in. long, 3-10 in one half- whorl, lower glumes minutely ciliate along the 

 edges, the upper glumes not ciliate, empty glumes 3-4, fertile 2-3, palea in the upper 

 part minutely ciliate along the keels, staminal-tube long, base of ovary glabrous. 



B. Spikelets in dense globose heads on erect usually panicled spikes. Western 

 species. 



4. O. tnonostigma, Bedd. Ic. PL t. 234; Gamble t. 66. Vern. 

 Ohiiva, Ohoua, Chawa^ Kan. 



Gregariousj culms single, erect, when young clothed with deciduous tawny 

 or whitish velvet j grey when old, 10-30 ft. high, internodes 15-18 in. long, 

 1 in. diam., cavity small, culm-sheaths nearly as long as internodes. L. 5-12 

 by |-lf in., n. 18-36 on J in., ligule long, leaf-sheaths striate. Heads of 

 spikelets usually approximate on short leafy spikes, spikelets glabrous, long 

 spinescent-acuminate, fertile |-1 in. long, sterile shorter, style glabrous, 

 stigma usually undivided. 



"Western Ghats and adjoining hill ranges, from the Poona district to the Anamalais, 

 often forming underwood in Teak — and other deciduous forests. A soft Bamboo, not 

 much used. 5. 0. Stoclcsii, Munro ; Gamble, t. 66. Konda, Kan. Commonly culti- 

 vated along the coast of North Kanara, rare on the ghats. A strong Bamboo, culms 

 almost solid, used for punt-poles. L. 4™8 by J-| in., n. 33-39 on J in. Pei-tile 

 spikelets 2-fld., | in. long, style hairy. 6. 0. Tliwaitesii, Munro ; Bedd. PI. Sylv. t. 322 ; 

 G-amble, t. 64. Western Ghats and adjoining hill ranges from the Bababudan hills 



