Tab. 4293 . 
iECHMEA DISCOLOR. 
Two-coloured, or Crab's eye JEcJimea. 
Nat. Ord. Bromeliaci^.—Hexandria Moxogynia. 
Gen. Char. Bracteee sub singulo flore cyatMformes. Perigonii superi sex- 
partiti lacinia exteriores calycina, aequales, spiraliter convolutae, aristatae v, 
muticae, apice bine oblique dilatatae, interiores petaloidece, exterioribus multo 
longiores, inferae convolutae, basi intus squamosae v. rarius nudae. Stamina 
6, imo perigonio inserta: filamenta filifonnia, tria laciniarum interiorum basi 
adnata; antherce ovatae, dorso affixae, subincumbentes. Ovarium inferam trilo¬ 
culare. Ovula plurima, e loculorum angulo central! pendula, anatropa. Stylus 
filiformis: stigmata 3, linearia v. petaloidea, spiraliter convoluta. Bacca ovato- 
subglobosa, trilocularis. Semina plura ex apice loculorum pendula, testa coriacea 
fusca, umbilico Jilo brevi gracUi appendiculato. Embryo minimus, rectus, in basi 
albuminis dense farinacei, extremitate radiculari umbibcum attmgente, supera.— 
Herbae Americance tropicre, seepe in arborum truncis pseudo-parasitic(B ; foliis 
radicalibus ligulatis v. ensifarmihus, crassis, coriaceis, integemmis v. spinuloso- 
serrulatis ; scapo ramoso paniculato, rachi Jleaniosa, bracteis sub singulo Jlore cyathi- 
formibus spinoso-aristatis integerrimis v. tricrenatis, floribus terminalibus abortivis. 
Emdl, 
iEcHMEA discolor-, foliis ligidatis striatis obscure fasciatis sei^ato-dentatis 
subtus discoloribus, bracteis lanceolatis membranaceis, floribus in panicu- 
1am sessilibus bracteatis, bracteis lanceolatis caducis, calycibus ovario adhae- 
rentibus conico-ovatis coccineis dentibus obtusis atris, corolla calyce bre- 
viore. 
iEcHMEA discolor. Hort. 
A singularly attractive plant, from the rich coral-red of the 
panicle, the flowers being of the same bright vermilion colour, 
and the cal 3 rx tipped with black; also from the great length of 
time the plant continues in blossom, through the whole of the 
winter months. The unexpanded buds have a most striking 
resemblance to the well-known beads, commonly called “ Crab s 
eyes ”, which are the seeds of Abrus precatoria, only that they 
are much larger. The species is probably a native of Brazil ; 
but I know nothing respecting its history, further than that it 
was received at the Royal Gardens of Kew, under the name 
here retained, from Messrs. Henderson, and from the Paris garden. 
Descr. Leaves radical, erecto-patent, ligulato-obtuse, grooved 
