Tab. 6342. 

 BILLBEEGIA pallescens. 



Native of Brazil. 



Nat. Ord. BeomelucetE. — Tribe Axanasse.e. 



Genus Btu-.bergta, Tkunb. et Holm. (Sehultes fil. in Eoem, et Schultes 8y$t. Veg. 



vol. vii. p, 1254.) 



Billbergia pallescens ; acaulis, foliis productis 9-12 suberectis loratis coriaceis 

 1-2-pedalibus utrinque viridibus tenuissime albido-lepidotis albo-punctatis 

 baud fasciatis, aculeis marginalibus minutissimis, scapo pallido glabro sub- 

 pedali sursum braoteis 3-4 magnis lanceolatis splendide rubris proedito, 

 floribus 10-20 in spicam laxam cernuam dispositis, omnibus solitaries vel 

 inferioribus interdura 2-3-nis breviter pedicellatis, ovario viridi glabro 

 oblongo crebre sulcata, sepalis lineari-oblongis glabris viridibus apice 

 violaceis ovario longioribus, petalis longe exsertis lingulatis viridibus apice 

 violaceis basi squamatis, staminibus petalis pequilongis, antheris oblongis 

 aurantiacis, stigmatibus exsertis. 



B. pallescens, K. Koch et Botiche App. Ind. Semin. Hort. Berol. anno 1850 ; 

 Walp. Ann. vol. vi. p. 70 ; E. Morren in Bely. Hart. vol. xv. (1865) p. 05, 

 tab. 5-G. 



B. pallida and Wiotiana, Hon. 



This is a little known, very distinct Billbergia, similar 

 in habit to B. vittata and Moreliana, marked by its 

 many-grooved ovary and large green flowers. Tt was 

 introduced more than twenty years ago from Central Brazil 

 by M. Libon. Our drawing was made from a specimen that 

 flowered in the ~Kew collection last November. Our plant 

 differed from that figured in the 'Belgique Horticole' by 

 having a drooping instead of an erect inflorescence and by 

 having all the flowers solitary and none of them subtended 

 by the bright re( i bracts which add so much to the decorative 

 value of these plants, the highest of these bracts in our 

 specimen being placed below the base of the inflorescence. 

 In spite of these differences we believe the two plants are 

 mere forms of the same species. 



FEBRUARY 1ST, 1878. 



