Tab. 5356. 

 PITCAIRNIA pungens. 



Spinose Pitcairnia. 



Nat. Ord. BromeliacEjE. — Hexandria Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. Perigonii semisuperi sexpartiti lacinice exteriores calycina?, basi 

 inter se connatse, lanceolatae, acuminata^, carinatae, erectse, interiores petaloidese, 

 longiores, interne in tubum approximator, apice galeatim incumbentes v. sequaliter 

 patentes, basi intus squaraosae vel rarius nudse. Stamina 6, annulo perigyno in- 

 serta; filamenta libera, subulata, anthem lineares, basi sagittatse. Ovarium 

 semi-inferum, triloculare. Ovula in loculorum angulo centrali plurima, adscen- 

 dentia, anatropa. Stylus filiformis; stigmata 3, linearia, spiraliter contorta. 

 Capsula semisupera, ovato-pyramidata, trilocularis, apice septicido-trivalvis, val- 

 vis introrsum demum fissis. Semina plurima, adscendentia, teretiuscula, testa 

 fusca scrobiculata, chalaza lata discolore umbilicum setiformem, chalazse apicali in 

 acumen longe productae, jungente. Embryo minimus, rectus, in basi albuminis 

 dense farinosi, extremitate radicular! umbilicum attingente. — Herbse Americana; 

 tropica!, foliis linearibus v. ligulatis, sape spinoso-dentatis, caule erecto, simplici, 

 floribus racemosis, bracteatis. Endl. 



Pitcairnia pungens ; subacaulis, foliis longe lineari-subulatis sensim attenuato- 

 acuminatis furfuraceis integerrimis, inlerioribus ad spinas elongatas pun- 

 gentibus bifariam spinulosis reductis ; scapo molliter furfuraceo bracteato, 

 bracteis lineari-lanceolatis erectis, floribus spicatis, spica simplex oblonga 

 multiflora, floribus pallide rubris, petalis lineari-spathulatis obtusis basi in- 

 tus squama auctis. 



Pitcairnia pungens. H. B. et K. Nov. Gen. et So. v. 1. p. 294. Schultes, Syst. 

 Veg.v. l.p. 1219. '* J 



A very handsome greenhouse plant, raised by Isaac Anderson 

 Henry, Esq., of Edinburgh, from seeds sent by Professor Jame- 

 son, of Quito. We have numerous specimens in our herbarium 

 from various parts of the Andes of New Granada, where it ap- 

 pears to be common. It is very ornamental. 



Descr. Stem one to two feet high, simple, terete, leafy, prui- 

 nose, especially above ; clothed below with sheathes terminating 

 in long, sharp, slender spines, which are imperfect leaves, armed 

 with two rows of ascending spinules.. Leaves very numerous, 



JANUARY 1ST, 1863. 



