1068 
BILLBERGIA iridifolia. 
Drooping Billbergia. 
HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Nat. ord. BROMELIACEZ, 
BILLBERGIA Thunb.—Calyx superus, 3-partitus, unibracteatus, Pe- 
tala 3, sepalis longiora, in tubo convoluta, basi squamis appendiculata. 
Stamina 6, libera, basibus sepalorum et petalorum inter squamas inserta. 
Ovarium 3-loculare polyspermum : ovulis minutissimis. Stylus filiformis. 
Stigmata tria, linearia, convoluta. Capsula baccata? Semina (ex Martio) 
nuda. Herbe epiphyte (Americe cquinoctialis) folis siccis lepidotis. 
Flores sessiles, nunc spicati, nunc paniculati, cum rachi manifest? articulati. 
B. iridifolia; foliis lanceolato-ensiformibus undulatis acuminatis subspinosis, 
Spica pendula multiflora, floribus solitariis, bracteis integerrimis coloratis 
florum longitudine. 
Bromelia iridifolia. Nees et Martius in nov. act. phys. med. Ac. Ces.-Leop.- 
Car, nat. cur. vol. xi. p. 16. 
Folia suprema 14 pedalia, lanceolato-ensiformia, undulata, basibus vagi- 
nantibus presertim spinosa; atro-viridia, inferne purpuracea. Scapus ter- 
minalis, foliis paulo brevior, corallinus, verosimiliter semper pendulus, brac- 
teis roseis inflatis vestitus. Flores spicati, distantes, solitarii, in rachi angu- 
latd, flecuosd sessiles, bracteis coccineis integerrimis ejusdem longitudinis 
inclusi. Calyx superus, 3-phyllus, sepalis ovatis, luteo-viridibus, apice ceru- 
leis, planis, membranaceis, corollá duplo brevioribus. Petala 3, linearia, in 
tubo convoluta, luteo-viridia, apice cerulea, obtusa, revoluta ; basi squamis 
duabus cucullatis fimbriatis, nectariferis. Stamina 6, basi sepalorum et 
petalorum inter squamas inserta. Filamenta filiformia. Antheree versatiles, 
libere. Ovarium inferum, 3-gonum, glaberrimum, 3-loculare, loculis poly- 
Spermis, ovulis minutissimis. 
For this truly noble plant we have to render our acknow- 
ledgments to Mrs. Arnold Harrison, by whom specimens 
and a sketch were most obligingly sent us in March last, 
from her rich collection at Aighburgh, near Liverpool. The 
paa had been received from William Harrison, Esq., of 
io Janeiro, where it is found growing on trees. We have 
