otis ( 3304 ) 
BiLLBERGIA PURPUREO-ROSEA. ROSE-PURPLE 
BILLBERGIA. 
KEKE KEKE KEKE EEK EEE EK 
Class and Order. 
Hexanpria Monoeynia. 
( Nat. Ord.—Bromeuiacez. ) 
Generic Character. 
Calyx superus. Petala convoluta, basi squamosa. Sta- 
mina basi perianthii inserta. Stylus filiformis: Stigmata 
linearia, conyoluta. Capsula baccata? Semina nuda. 
Lindl. 
Specific Character. 
BILLBERGIA purpureo-rosea ; foliis erecto-patulis ligulatis 
atro-viridibus brevi-acuminatissimis spinoso -dentatis 
scapo paniculato multifloro brevioribus, exterioribus 
paucis subulato-canaliculatis, bracteis floralibus solita- 
riis foliolisque calycinis ovatis mucronatis roseis, corol- 
lis longe exsertis. 
Among the remarkable features in a tropical forest are 
the numerous and beautiful species of plants which attach 
themselves parasitically to the trunks of trees, investing the 
stems and branches, and adorning them with adventitious 
flowers and foliage. The chief of these are the Orcuis and 
Bsomenta, or Pine-Apple, families. Our plant belongs to 
the latter of these, a groupe of vegetables, which not only 
affords the most richly-coloured blossoms, accompanied by 
foliage armed with exceedingly annoying spines ; but ore 
of the choicest of productions for our desserts : 
“ Her luscious fruit Ananas rears, 
Amidst a coronet of spears ;” 
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VOL. VIII. D 
