Tas. 6535. 
PITCAIRNIA ZEIFOLIA. 
Native of Central America. 
Nat. Ord. Bromrtraces.—Tribe Pitcargnriex. 
Genus Pircargnia, L’ Herit.; (K. Koch in Walp. Ann. vol. vi. p. 78.) 
Prrcarrn1a (Lamproconus) zeifolia ; foliis basalibus 5-6 rosulatis longe petiolatis 
inermibus lanceolatis chartaceis 2-3-pedalibus utrinque viridibus e medio ad 
apicem et basin angustatis, pedunculo elongato foliis pluribus reductis 
vaginantibus acuminatis pradito, floribus pluribus ascendentibus laxe sub- 
spicatis, pedicellis crassis brevissimis, bracteis ovatis rubris calyce subzequilongis, 
calycis Along segmentis oblongis obtusis valde imbricatis viridibus glabris, 
petalis albidis lingulatis obtusis calyce subtriplo longioribus basi haud appen- 
diculatis, genitalibus petalis subequilongis, seminibus utrinque conspicue 
caudatis. 
P. zeifolia, K. Koch in Ind. Sem. Hort. Berol. 1854, App. p.11; Walp. Ann. 
vol. vi. p. 80, 
This is one of the small number of Pitcairnias from 
Central America, with broad petioled leaves, large subsessile 
flowers, large clasping bracts, and seeds conspicuously tailed — 
at both ends, which make up the section Lamproconus, 
published as a genus by Lemaire. Its nearest ally is the 
New Granadan P. Funkiana of A. Dietrich, which was 
figured under the name of P. macrocalyz, at tab. 4705 of 
the Boranican Magazine. The present plant, although it 
has been known for a quarter of a century, has not been 
figured previously. It was discovered by Warcewicz in 
Guatemala, and we have a fine specimen in the Kew 
Herbarium, gathered by Purdie in the province of Santa 
Martha in New Granada, about 1845. Our drawing was 
made from a plant sent by Dr. Regel, which flowered in 
the Palm House at Kew in December, 1879. 
Duscr. Leaves five or six to a basal rosette; petiole 
reaching the length of a foot, channelled, quite unarmed ; 
lamina lanceolate, two or three feet long, two or two and a 
half inches broad at the middle, papery in texture, green 
JANUARY Ist, 1881. 
