Tab.5447. 

 iechmea distichantha. 



Distichous-flowered ASchmea. 



Nat. Ord. Bkomki.i u i 1 . IIk\am>uia Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. Bracteee sub singulo flow cyathiformes. PttifOmi nmri, -c\par- 

 titi; Item* cxteriorcs calyculatrp, BBqaales, spiraliter convolute, iriatata v. 

 motica, apice hinc oblique dilatatre ; mteriont prtaloideae, exterioribus multo 

 longiores, inferne convoluta?, ban intus squamosa; v. rarius nudse. Stamina 6, 

 imo perigomo mserta ; ftamcnta filiformia, tria ladnianun interiornm bad ad- 

 nata; anthercE ovata?, dorso affixae, subincumbentes. Ocarium inferum. trilocu- 

 lare. Omla plurima, e loculorura angulo centrali pendula, anatropa. Sfi/his fili- 

 formis; stigmata 3, linearia v. petaloidea, spiraliter convoluta. Bacca ovato- 

 subglobosa, triloculares. Semina plura, ex apice loculorum pendula ; testa cori- 

 acea, fusca, umbilico filo brevi gracili appendicular. Embryo minimus, rectus, 

 in basi albuminis dense farinacei, extreiuitate radiculari umbilicum attingente, 

 supera.— Herbae Americana tropica, sape in arbor urn trmtci* pseudopara* 

 foliis radicalibus ligidatis v. ensiformibns, crassis, coriaceis, integerrimis r. spinu- 

 loso-serrulatis ; scapo ramoso, paniculato ; rachi fexuosa ; bracteis' sub singulo 

 flore cyathiformibus, spinoso-aristatis, integerrinm v. tricrenatis ; floribus termi- 

 nalibus abortivis. Endl. 



McBMiA distichantha ; foliis e basi dilatata amplexantibus bipedalibus lineari- 

 oblongis elongatis glaucescentibus elongatis acuminatis canaliculars, aculeis 

 uncinatis atria remotis spfnescentibus, scapo foliis breviore colorrtto folioso 

 apice paniculato-spicato, ramis apicatia copiose braeteatis distichis. bracteis 

 rubris copiosis, floribus etiam distichis, sepalis ereetis imbricatis roseis, 

 petalis purpureis, singulo intus bisquamuloso, staminibus 6, filamcntis sur- 

 suin clavatis. 



J&cmtSA distichantha. Lemaire, Jard. Fleuriste, v. 3. p. 269 cum icon. 



Bilbekgia ? polystaehya. Paxt. Fl. Gard. v. 3. t. 80. 



Hoplopiiytlm distichanthum. Beer, Bromel.p. 136. 



A South American Bromeliaceous plant, from the province 



of St. Paul (South Brazil, we presume) ; a family which stands 



in great need of scientific examination, instead of being left 



to the tender mercies of mere horticulturists, who contribute 



june 1m. 1864. 



