62 
E. D. MERRILL 
Kurz, but at any rate Blanco's specific name is much the older. There 
is quite no doubt as to the identity of Blanco's Bamhusa levis, for his 
description, while imperfect, applies only to the form I described as 
Gigantochloa scribneriana among all the Philippine species of bamboo. 
ScHizosTACHYUM Nces 
Schizostachyum diffusum (Blanco) comb. nov. 
Bamhus diffusa Blanco Fl. Filip. 269. 1837, ed. 2. 188. 1845, ed. 3. 
i:. 334. 1877; Steud. Syn. PI. Glum, i: 331. 1854; Munro, 
Trans. Linn. Soc. 26: 118. 1868; Camus, Bamb. 131. 1913. 
Schizostachyum acutiflorum Munro, Trans. Linn. Soc. 26: 137. 1868; 
Gamble, Philippine Journ. Sci. C. Bot. 5: 273. 1910; Camus, 
Bamb. 184. P5. /. -4. 1913. 
Dinochloa diffusa Merr. Govt. Lab. Publ. (Philip.) 27: 93. 1905. 
Dinochloa major Pilger; Perkins, Fragm. Fl. Phil. 149. 1904. 
This scandent bamboo is one of the most common and widely 
distributed sylvan species in the Philippines, and unlike most other 
Philippine bamboos it apparently flowers freely each year. Conse- 
quently it is much better represented in collections than any other 
PhiUppine form. It is distinctly variable, which leads me to suspect 
that Schizostachyum dielsianum (Pilg.) Merr. may not really be speci- 
fically distinct. Munro suggested that Bamhusa diffusa Blanco was 
merely a variety of his Schizostachyum acutifl^orum, while F.-Villar 
definitely made the reduction. I am now confident that Bamhusa 
diffusa Blanco and Schizostachyum acutiflorum Munro are identical. 
Philippine material is now available in which the leaves are somewhat 
pubescent on the lower surface, thus agreeing with Blanco's description 
"pelosas por debajo," material that otherwise cannot be distinguished 
from typical Schizostachyum acutiflorum Munro. Blanco's description 
otherwise as to habit, habitat time of flowering, native names, and uses 
closely applies. The oldest specific name is here adopted. 
Schizostachyum lima (Blanco) comb. nov. 
Bamhus lima Blanco, Fl. Filip. 271. 1837, ed. 2. 189. 1845, ed. 3. i: 
336. 1877; Steud. Syn. PI." Glum, i: 331. 1854; Munro, Trans. 
Linn. Soc. 26: 121. 1868; Camus, Bamb. 134. 1913. 
Bamhusa longinodis F.-Vill. Novis. App. 323. 1880, non Miq. 
