Tas. 8107. 
ASCHMEA GIGAS, 
Brazil ? 
BRoMELIACE2. Tribe BRoMELIER. 
‘EcumeEa, Ruiz et Pav.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 663. 
4Echmea gigas, EH. Morren ex Baker, Handb. Bromel. p. 61; 4%. Lalindei, 
Linden & Rodigas, affinis, bracteis inermibus recedit. 
Planta acaulescens. Folia circa 16 rosulatim disposita, lorata, breviter 
acuminata, basi vaginata, 3 ped. longa, 5 poll. lata, supra fere glabra, 
subtus albo-furfuracea ; spines ad folioram medium rectee, inter se 3 lin. 
distantes, inferiores decurva, superiores incurve. Pedunculus fere 1 ped. 
longus, robustus; bractess dentate, inferiores imbricate, vagina elliptica 
inflata purpurea laminaque ovata acuminata viridi, superiores rosulatim 
congestse, ovate, purpures, 5 poll. longs, 2} poll. late, dentate ; spica 
simplex, oblonga, 5 poll. longa, 2 poll. lata. Calyx rigidus, extus albo- 
lepidotus ; lobi 4 lin. longi, suborbiculares, concavi, breviter aristati. 
Corolla breviter exserta, dilute viridis; petala 7 lin. longa, 14 lin. lata, 
anguste oblonga, emarginata, basi squamis duabus fimbriatis instracta. 
Stamina ad corolle medium affixa; anthers oblong, mucronate, quam 
filamenta duplo longiores. Stylus breviter trilobus. Fructus 3-6-angn- 
laris, albo-lepidotus, infra viridis, supra dilute roseus, pyramidalis, 
sepalorum mucronibus erecto-patentibus coronatus, 13 poll. longue. 
The plant here figured was purchased from the widow 
of the late Prof. E. Morren of Liége, and flowered in the 
Victoria House at Kew for the first time in March last. 
No description of the species was ever published by Prof. 
Morren, but there exists amongst his drawings at Kew a 
life-sized figure by P. Stroobant of a plant which flowered 
in November, 1881. 4. Lalindei, Linden & Rodigas (Ii. 
Hort. vol. xxx. t. 481), to which this species is united by 
Mr. Baker, is a very close ally from New Granada, of 
which perfect flowers are not known. Mez (in DO. 
Monogr. Phan. vol. ix. p. 263) does not agree as to the 
identity of these two species, but suggests that our plant 
belongs to the section Chevallieria; it seems, however, to 
connect that section with Pothuava, in having the in- 
florescence of the latter without large bracts subtending 
each flower, while the angular ovary is that of the former. 
47. Mavriz-Regine, H. Wendl. (Bot. Mag. t. 6441) is 
another allied species, but with a longer, narrower spike, 
and narrower bracts. 
Since flowering the plant at Kew has produced two 
DecemBeEr Ist, 1906. 
