the scape, ovate in circumscription ; the rachis, branches, pe- 
dicels, calyx, and large, ovate bracteas, densely clothed with — 
thick, rusty-coloured tomentum. Pedicels much longer than 
the bracts. Flowers, in bud, almost subulate, curved down- 
wards, resembling the beak of a bird; when arrived at full matu- 
rity, five and rather more inches long. Sepals two to two and 
a half inches long, lanceolate, acuminate, and, as well as the 
oblong-linear, obtuse, greenish-white petals, erecto-patent, all de- 
curved. ‘There are two large scales at the base of the petals. 
Stamens shorter than the corolla, lodged in the upper canalicu- 
late petal. Ovary oblong, obtusely trigonal, free. Style longer 
than the stamens. Stigmas three, spirally twisted. 
Fig. 1. Much reduced figure of Puya grandiflora. 2. Petal, with its scales 
at the base. 3. Pistil:—watural size. 
