Benthamiana are, however, easily distinguished from the 
various forms of 7. dianthoidea by the much longer corolla 
and the character of the indumentum on the leaves. In 
T. Benthamiana the adpressed scales met with on the 
leaves of many Bromeliads are replaced by thick vesicular 
hairs, and it is to the presence of these that the typical 
plant and the variety here described owe their shaggy 
_ aspect. j 
Derscription.—Herb, succulent, almost stemless, epi- 
phytic. Leaves densely clustered, numerous, gradually 
ensiform-acuminate upwards from an ovate-lanceolate 
base, 6 in. long, 3 in. wide at the base, 1 in. wide above, 
rather thick and firm, margin slightly incurved, the 
uppermost leaves erect or ascending, the lowest recurved, 
all densely clothed on both faces with spreading vesicular 
papillae. Scape 3-6 in. long, usually shorter than the 
leaves; leafy bracts congested. Jnjlorescence spicate, 
oblong, 3 in. long, 14 in. across ; flowering bracts ovate 
with rounded tips, rosy pink, white-lepidote, 2 in. long. 
Sepals ovate, acute, } in. long. Petals oblanceolate, 1+ 
in. long, deep violet, slightly recurved at the tip. 
Stamens little exserted ; filaments filiform ; anthers } in. 
long, yellow. Ovary conic, glabrous; style as long as 
the stamens ; stigmas short, loosely twisted. 
Fig. 1, portion of a leaf; 2, vesicular hairs, or modified scales, from leaf; 
3, calyx; 4, corolla; 5 and 6, anthers; 7, pistil :—all enlarged. 
