it 
" 
Tas. 4287. ‘ 
 VRIESIA xypuHostTacuys. 
Dagger-spiked Vriesia. 
Nat. Ord. BromeLiace£.—HeExanpria MonoGyNia. 
Gen. Char. Sepala tria, convoluta, qualia, petalis apice revolutis (an semper ?) 
breviora. Sguama, cuique petalo 2, semiadnate, indivisee. Stamina exserta, 3 
libera, petalorum basi inserta, 3 inter petala inserta, iisque basi connata; anthere 
lineares, plane, posticee, Ovarium semi-inferum, conicum ; stigma 3-lobum ; 
lobis convolutis et sinuatis, villosis—Folia plana (sed canaliculata), erecta. Flores 
distichi, bracteis magnis canaliculatis coloratis. Lindl. 
Vriesia xyphostachys ; foliis e latissima basi longe subulatis canaliculatis atro- 
virentibus glaucis subfarinosis, seapo simplici rubro, spica lanceolata com- 
pressa e bracteis ovatis cymbiformi-carinatis densissime distiche imbricatis 
viridibus inferioribus coccineis flavo-variegatis, floribus longe exsertis cylin- 
draceis viridi-purpureis, filamentis intense purpureis longe exsertis stylo bre- 
vioribus, petalis esquamosis ? 
* 
I have already, elsewhere, expressed the difficulty I feel in 
clearly distinguishing Vriesia of Dr. Lindley, from Tillandsia. 
If our Vriesia glaucophylla, figured and described at Tab. 4415, 
be a true Vresia, this is unquestionably of the same genus, but — . 
easily distinguished from it by its smaller size and a darker-co- 
loured foliage, by the solitary spike of the scape, and the far more 
numerous, more carinated, and very compactly imbricated bracts 
of the spike, presenting as this latter does two very sharp edges. 
The flowers, too, are of a rich deep purplish-blue. It was re- 
ceived by us from tropical America, and it is believed from 
Brazil, and flowered in a moist stove in August, 1861. 
Dzscr. Stemless ; roof apparently a short, creeping caudex, or 
rhizome. Leaves radical, a span to a foot long, from a broad, 
amplexicaul, convex base, gradually tapering into a long, subulate _ ; 2 
point, channelled, entire, dark glaucous-green ; the lower ones — 
purplish at the base. Scape a foot long, erect, bright-red, brac- 
teated with small, subulate, leaf-like, appressed sca/es, red at the — 
base, all red upwards, Spike singularly flattened, solitary, six _ 
 peceMBer Ist, 1861. 4m : Pa 
