Tas. 4382. 
VRIESIA speciosa. 
Showy Vriesia. 
Nat. Ord. Bromeniace®.—HeExanpria Monoeynta. 
Gen. Char. Sepala tria, convoluta, sequalia, petalis apice revolutis (an semper ?) 
breviora. Sguame cuique petalo 2, semiadnate indivisee. Stamina exserta, 
3 libera, petalorum basi inserta, 3 inter petala inserta iisque basi connata: an- 
there \ineares, plane, posticee. Ovarium semi-inferum conicum ; stigma 3-lobum, 
lobis convolutis et sinuatis, villosis—TFolia plana (seu canaliculata), erecta. 
Flores distichi, bracteis magnis canaliculatis coloratis, Lindl. 
VRIESTA speciosa; foliis lato-oblongis obtusis cum mucrone canaliculatis integer- 
rimis glabris nudis transverse nigro-vittatis, scapo squamoso nigro-maculato, 
spica elongata coccinea, bracteis coloratis lanceolatis acuminatis arete im- 
bricatis conduplicato-carinatis unifloris, floris albis bracteis superantibus. 
Tinianpsta splendens. Hort. Paris. 
I have little hesitation in referring this beautiful plant to 
Dr. Lindley’s genus Vriesia, established on the Zil/andsia psit- 
éacina, Hook., notwithstanding some slight discrepancies in the 
character. The author refers it to Zillandsia heliconioides, Kunth ; 
and I think it the 7. setacea, Sw. (Bot. Mag. t.3275). All 
have flowers resembling Piteairnia, but a very different inflo- 
rescence, firm, coloured, distichous bracteas, which constitute 
the great ornament of the plant. The leaves are here also hand- 
Some, with black transverse bands. We owe the possession 
of this in the stoves of Kew to Mr. Newman of the Jardin des 
Plantes at Paris, from whom we received it under the garden 
name of Tillandsia splendens. ee 
Drscr. Leaves radical, a span and more long, lorate-oblong, 
canaliculate, or almost semicylindrical, very concave at the base, 
the margin entire, the apex reflexed, blunt, but tipped with 
4 mucro, the margin entire, colour dark green with black trans- 
verse bands. Scape arising from the centre of the leaves, a foot 
and a half long (including the spike), terete, scaly, green, with 
black spots: this is terminated by a compact, lanceolate, bright 
red, glossy spike of numerous lanceolate, acuminate, complicato- 
Compressed, carinated, closely imbricated éracés, each including 
_ JULY Isr, 1848. H 2 
