Pleioblastus argenteostriatus (Regel) Nakai

[Arundinaria angustifolia (Mitford) J.Houz., Bambusa vilmorinii Hort.] Stems erect, 2 to 6 ft high, round, 1⁄12 to 1⁄5 in. in diameter, with a very small hollow up the centre; joints rather prominent, from 10 in. apart at the base to about 1 in. near the apex; branches slender, erect. Leaves 11⁄2 to 6 in. long, 1⁄6 to 3⁄4 in. wide, rounded at the base, long and slenderly pointed, glabrous, and of the same shade of brilliant green on both surfaces; bristle-toothed on one margin, minutely so on the other; secondary veins two to four each side the midrib; leaf-sheath with a tuft of erect hairs at the top, and smaller ones on the margin. Native of Japan; introduced about 1895 by way of France. This bamboo spreads rapidly by means of underground rhizomes, and forms a dense thicket of slender, erect stems of various heights. Its distinguishing marks are in the narrowness of the leaves, their smoothness, and similarity of shade on both surfaces.

[Arundinaria chino (Franch. & Sav.) Makino] Stems rarely more than 2 to 6 ft high, slender, smooth, green, bearing one to three branches at the joints, with spreading, creeping rhizomes. Leaf-blades 11⁄2 to 8 in. long, 1⁄6 to 5⁄8 in. wide, hairless or slightly hairy beneath, with three to seven pairs of secondary veins. Native of China, introduced to Japan and perhaps thence to Europe. Closely related to A. simonii, which has taller, stouter stems and mostly larger leaves.

[Arundinaria chrysantha (Mitford) E.G.Camus] Stems 2 to 6 ft high, 1⁄8 to 1⁄6 in. diameter, dark green, round; joints 2 to 51⁄2 in. apart, with several branches. Leaves 3 to 7 in. long, 1⁄2 to 1 in. broad, rounded at the base, rather abruptly tapered to a short, slender point, glabrous on both surfaces, minutely toothed at the margins. There is a tuft of long, silky hairs at the top of the leaf-sheath. Most of the leaves are quite green, but some are more or less striped with golden yellow like Pleioblastus viridistriatus. Secondary veins four to six each side the midrib. Native of Japan; introduced in 1892, but a bamboo of no great attractiveness. The variegation is not abundant enough to give a colour effect, and the plant cannot be compared with P. viridistriatus in this respect. It spreads rapidly by its underground rhizomes.

[Arundinaria pumila Mitford] A dwarf species of tufted habit, with the few-branched stems as thick as a knitting-needle, and from 1 to 2 ft high; joints 2 to 6 in. apart. Stem-sheaths persistent, glabrous except at the base, where is a conspicuous ring of hairs. Leaves 21⁄2 to 6 in. long, 1⁄3 to 7⁄8 in. wide, rounded at the base, narrowed often abruptly to a short slender point, dark green, and with minute hairs on both sides. Secondary veins four or five each side the midrib. Native of Japan, and a neat little bamboo, but with no striking characters. It closely resembles Pseudosasa humilis, but that species has mostly longer leaves with little or no hair on them, and their points are more gradually tapered.