Tas. 6423. 
BILLBERGIA NUTANS. 
Native of South America. 
Nat. Ord. Brometiacex.—Tribe ANANASSEX. : 
Genus Brtpereta, Thunb. § Holm. ; (K. Koch. in Walp. Ann. vol. vi. p. 72.) 
BILLBERGIA wutans ; acaulis, stolonifera, foliis basalibus productis 12-18 lineari- 
ensiformibus sesquipedalibus vel bipedalibus chartaceis sursum faleatis ad 
apicem sensim attenuatis margine denticulatis facie viridibus deorsum can- 
aliculatis dorso striatis parce albo lepidotis haud fasciatis, pedunculo sub- 
pedali foliis scariosis bracteiformibus superioribus rubellis, floribus 4-8 in 
racemum subspicatum cernuum dispositis, braceteis minutis deltoideis, 
ovario oblongo glabro viridi multisulcato, sepalis lanceolatis acutis ovario 
longioribus, petalis lanceolatis viridibus margine cceruleis basi squamatis 
sepalis duplo longioribus, staminibus petalis cequilongis antheris linearibus 
versatilibus, stigmate exserto. 
B. nutans, H. Wendl. in Regel. Gartenjl. vol. xviii. (1869) p. 162 t. 617 ; B. Morren 
in Belg. Hort. 1876, p. 220 t. 15. 
This is one of the best marked species of that section of 
the genus Bil/bergia which is characterised by a comparatively 
lax drooping inflorescence and bright red bract-like upper 
stem-leaves, to which belong many of the species which are 
most highly prized in horticulture. This one may be re- 
cognised, at a glance, by its narrow acute leaves and green 
petals with a sudden blue edge. The precise country to 
which it belongs is not known, and there are no dried wild 
specimens in our London herbaria, but the head-quarters of 
its allies are Central and Southern Brazil. We have had 
the plant at Kew for some time. The plate was drawn from a 
specimen that flowered at Kew in January, and it has also 
been flowered this winter by Mr. Chas. Green, in the fine 
collection of Sir George Macleay. It was first introduced 
into cultivation about 1868. 
Dezscr. <Acaulescent, stoloniferous. Zeaves twelve to 
eighteen produced in a utricular’ rosette, linear-ensiform, 
reaching finally a length of one and a half or two feet, half 
APRIL Ist, 1878. 
