BROMELIACEJ!: 595 



filiform, not dissolved funiculus in two continental species of Platystachys, in a new section 

 {Conostachys), and in two Anoplophyta. 



Sect. 1. Platystachys, C. Kch. — Spike distichous. Petals naked within, convolute below, 

 erect, or spreading at the summit. Filaments spirally twisted above : anthers incum- 

 bent. — Stem leaved below, bracteate above, central ; leaves lepidote, rarely green, nar- 

 rowly acuminate, often subulate at the base. 



* Flowers and capsules approximate. 



15. T. setacea, Sw.l (non Hook.). Leaves convolute-filiform, little or gradually di- 

 lated at the base, suberect, as long as or exceeding the stem ; spike compressed, simple or 

 with a few short, appressed branches at the base -. bractlets imbricate-distichous, lepidote, 

 ovate-oblong, pointed, as long as the calyx ; sepals 3, half as long as the corolla ; petals 

 " blue," spathulate, spreading at the summit ; anthers oblong, blunt ; stigma-lobes spread- 

 ing, blunt; capsule twice as long as the bracelet. — SI. t. 122. f. 1. Plum. Ed. Burm. t. 

 238. f. 2. — T. tenuifolia, L. (exclus. syn. Jacq.) Diaphoranthema versicolor, Beer. — 

 8"-H' high ; spike 2"-3", its branches 1", corolla 1" long.— Hab. Jamaica !, Sto., Pd., 

 M'Nb., Wullschl., on trees; Trinidad !, Sch. ; [Cuba ! to Venezuela!]. 



16. T. compressa, Berter. Leaves lanceolate-linear, subulate at the base, rigidly 

 erect, convolute, little shorter than the stem ; spike flat-compressed, large, simple : bract- 

 lets little lepidote, broadly ovate, pointleted with a short, incurved-erect point, imbricate- 

 distichous, exceeding the calyx ; sepals about half as long as the corolla, 2 united to \ ; pe- 

 tals " white, bluish above," erect, convolute, linear ; anthers acuminate, half-cxserted ; 

 stigmas clavate, convolute. — Bot. Mag. t. 3275. — T. setacea, Hook, {non Sw.). — l'-l^' 

 high ; spike 6" long, 2" broad : bractlets " yellowish with a red margin," H", corolla 2£" 

 long. — IIab. Jamaica !, Pd., Wullschl. ; S. Anns, on trees. 



17. T. fasciculata, Sw. Leaves linear-acuminate, subulate at the base, spreading or 

 recurved, convolute, about as long as the stem ; spike compound, compressed : branches 

 3-8, approximate, nearly as large as the central spike, sessile : bractlets imbricate-disti- 

 chous, ovate-oblong or ovate, pointed, as long as the calyx ; sepals half as long as the corolla, 

 2 united to f ; petals blue, erect, convolute, linear, pointed ; anthers blunt, exserted ; stig- 

 mas convolute ; capsule twice as long as the bractlet. — Catesb. Carol. 2. t. 89. — T. havanensis, 

 Jacq. (Amer. Pict. t. 94) : a scarcely doubtful synonym, but the leaves are narrower at the 

 base, the capsules longer-exserted. T. polystachya, Jacq. {non L., Sw.). Platystachys 

 digitata, Beer. — 1-2' high ; spikes 2"-6" long : bractlets red, variable in size, 6"'-12"' 

 long. — Hab. Bahamas !, Swains.; Jamaica !, Pd., on trees and rocks along the sea; Domi- 

 nica !, Imr., S. Vincent !, Guild. ; [Cuba ! to French islands !]. 



** Flowers approximate ; internodes elongating between the bracts in fruit. 



18. T. angustifolia, Sw. ! Leaves linear from a subulate base, convolute, curved, 

 about as long as, or longer than the stem, lepidote ; spike compound : lateral spikes shorter 

 than the central: bractlets imbricate-distichous, oblong-lanceolate, pointed, little exceeding 

 the calyx, in fruit thrice as long as their internodes ; sepals half as long as the corolla : 2 

 united to the middle : lobes blunt ; petals erect ; capsule little longer than the bractlet. — 

 1-2' high ; central spike 4", lateral 1 £"-2" long, (variable in number and size of bracts) ; 

 bractlets glabrous, 8'", calyx 6'", capsule 10"'-12'" long. — Hab. Jamaica !, Sw., on trees ; 

 [Cuba! to Venezuela!]. 



19. T. canescens, Sv;. ! Leaves linear from a subulate base, convolute, suberect, or 

 spreading, about as long as the stem, lepidote ; spike compound, (or simple) : lateral spikes 

 few, approximate, about as long as the central : bractlets imbricate-distichous, oblong-lan- 

 ceolate, pointed, equalling the calyx, in fruit 4 times as long as their internodes ; sepals 

 half as long as the corolla, bluntish, all 3, distinct ; petals " red," erect, convolute, linear- 

 lanceolate, bluntish ; capsule twice as long as the bractlet. — 8"-15" high ; spikes l"-2" 

 long: bractlets glabrous, 6'", sepals 6'", capsule 12'" long. — Hab. Jamaica!, Sw., Pd., on 

 trees. 



20. T. Balbisiana, SchuH. Leaves lanccolatc-lincar from a subulate base, convolute, 

 recurved, exceeded by the stem, lepidote ; spike compound, compressed : lateral spikes Z-S, 



