cylindrical or clavate bodies, tailed at the distal end and 
furnished with a reversed coma at the base enveloping the 
lower half of the seed. When the seed is ripe the tissue of 
the tail is broken up into hair-like rows of cells similar to 
the pappus of a composite. The basal coma, in the same 
manner, is the result of the breaking up of the outer 
integument or testa of the ovule. The integument breaks 
up in a variety of ways in different species of the genus. 
In T. Regnellii, Mez (FI. Bras. t. 110), for example, it breaks 
up into a reversed coma at each end, the hairs of ‘which 
overlap each other and completely clothe the body of the 
seed. Unfortunately we did not receive the seed of 
T. Blokit until after the plate was printed. 
Description.— Shrub, flowering only once, though of 
several—sometimes twenty—years duration. Stem very 
short, unbranched. Leaves numerous, densely tufted, thick, 
leathery, narrow-oblong, 24-34 ft. long, about 6 in. across 
in the widest part above the broad base, tapering upwards, 
abruptly long-pointed, entire, unarmed, recurved, beset 
with oblong, :purple-red blotches. Inflorescence crimson, 
terminal, erect, pinnately paniculate, 4 ft. 6 in. to 5 ft. long ; 
scape stout, clothed with broad, sheathing bracts; lateral 
branches about 14, spreading in all directions, recurved, 
8 in.to 1 ft. long, ziz-zag, 10-12-flowered. Floral bracts 
ovate, acute, half as long as the calyx, closely appressed, 
persistent. Flowers in two rows, very shortly stalked, 3-3 
in. apart, about 4 in. long. Sepals 3, lanceolate, 13-2 in. 
long, acute, leathery, crimson, persistent, closely appressed 
to the capsule. Petals 3, yellow, linear about 4 in. long, 
acute, furnished with two small, toothed scales near the base 
on the inside, marcescent. Stamens 6, equalling the petals. 
Style shortly 3-lobed, a little longer than the stamens. 
Capsule 3-celled, oblong, 2-24 in. long, acute, leathery, 
shining. Seeds very numerous, comose at both ends, the 
basal coma reversed.—W. Bortina Hemsiey. 
Cuurivation.—The large Tillandsiae are handsome 
stove plants. Several of them have long been conspicuous 
objects in the tropical houses at Kew, and one of them, 
T. regina, flowered in the Victoria house last year, where 
also the gigantic Brocchinia cordylinoides flowered about 
