Tas. 6641. 
BESCHORN ERIA BRACTEATA. 
Native of Mezico. 
Nat. Ord. AMaRYLiipacex.—Tribe AGAavEx. 
Genus Bescnorneria, Kunth; (Kunth Enum. vol. v. p. 844.) 
BescHornenia tubiflora ; acaulis, foliis circiter 30 lanceolatis pedalibus vel sesqui- 
pedalibus glauco-viridibus margine scabris, pedunculo valido 2-3-pedali, floribus 
In paniculam rhomboideam ramis corymbosis dispositis, pedicellis ovario sxpe 
zquilongis, bracteis conspicuis scariosis rubellis oblongo-lanceolatis vel lanceo- 
latis, perianthii segmentis oblanceolatis obtusis ovario 14-2-plo longioribus, 
genitalibus limbo equilongis. 
B. bracteata, Jacobi Index Agaveen. p. 11 (nomen solum), 
This is the most robust and copiously floriferous of all 
the Beschornerias which we had in a living state at Kew. 
The species of this genus seem to be very closely allied to 
one another, and a monograph of them is greatly needed. 
In his catalogue of the Agave, General Von Jacobi 
enumerates nine species, but his monograph of the sub- 
order never reached this genus, and so far as I am aware 
ouly three out of the nine, all of which have been figured in 
the Borantcan Magazine (viz. tubijflora, tab. 4642, yuccoides, 
tab. 5208, and Toneliana, tab. 6091), have ever been 
described or characterized. Our drawing was made from 
a plant which has been for a long time in the Kew collec- 
tion, which flowered for the first time in the month of 
March of this present year. 
Descr. Acaulescent. Leaves about thirty in a dense rosette, 
a foot or a foot and a half long, two inches broad at the 
middle, contracted to less than an inch above the dilated 
base, thin but firm in texture, glaucous green, scabrous on 
the margin. Inflorescence four to five feet long, including 
the robust peduncle, which is terete, reddish-brown, about 
as long as the panicle, and furnished with three or four 
avaustT Ist, 1882, 
