A SYNOPSIS OF THE GENUS .ECHMEA. 167 



the ovary, distinctly mucronate. Petals white, two to three times 

 as long as the seioals. — South Brazil; Eio Janeiro, Burchell, 764. 

 Glaziou, 8027 ! and 5465 ! (a form with minute leaf prickles) ; Eio 

 Grrande, Tiveedie ! One of the most effective species of the genus, 

 but although growing in a well explored country not yet introduced 

 into cultivation. 



28. M. CAPiTATA, Baker. — Hoheiihernia cajntata, Schultes fil., 

 Syst. Veg., vu., 1252. — Leaves unknown. Scape above afoot long, 

 the lower lanceolate bract-leaves toothed towards the tip. Flowers 

 in a dense tripinnate head two to three inches long, three to four 

 inches diameter, composed of three to five very shortly peduncled 

 primary spikes, subtended by bracts of theu' own length, each 

 consisting of about three sessile densely congested eight- to twelve- 

 flowered si^ikelels fifteen to eighteen lines long. Flower-bracts 

 ovate -navicular, rose-red, exceedmg the calyx, three-quarters of an 

 inch long. Se^^als lanceolate with a mucro, seven to eight lines 

 long. Petals about an inch long, scaled at the base. — Brazil, in 

 the province of Bahia at Almada, Martins. 



29. M. PARViFLOKA, Baker. — Billhergia jjarviflora, Mart., 

 Schultes fil., Syst. Veg., vii., 1270. — Lamprococcus cldorocarpus. 

 Wawra, Eeise Maxim., 162, t. 28. — Leaves about a foot long, with 

 a dilated oblong base, and a lanceolate entire lamina one-half to 

 three-quarters of an inch broad at the middle. Scape about a 

 foot long, with many small laneeolate adpressed bract-leaves. 

 Flowers in a lax rhomboid panicle four to six inches long, with 

 erecto-patent nine- to twelve-flowered racemose branches, the 

 lowest sometimes forked. Pedicels spreading, one-eighth to one- 

 quarter of an inch long, with a minute deltoid cuspidate bract at 

 the base. Calyx including ovary about a line long ; sepals deltoid, 

 minutely cuspidate. Petals lingulate, blue, one-sixth to one-fifth 

 of an inch long, not scaled at the base. — Brazil, in the province of 

 Bahia at Ilheos and Almada, Martins ; Waicra and Maly, 232. A 

 very distinct species. 



30. M. LAXiFLORA, Beuth., Bot. Sulph., 173. — Rohenbergia 

 laxijiora, Baker in Eef. Bot., sub. t. 284. — Aloe americana arhorihiis 

 innascens, &c.. Eel. Houst., edit. Banks, t. 16. — Bromelia bracteata, 

 Schultes fil., Sj^st. Veg., vii., 1280, ex parte. — Leaves above two 

 feet long, ensiform, narrowed to the point, one inch and a half to 

 two inches broad at the middle, very horny in texture, with large 

 distant falcate horny teeth like those of Bromelia Piyiguin or 

 Karatas Pluinieri. Scape a foot or more long, with several large 

 red lanceolate bract-leaves. Panicle dense, twelve to eighteen 

 inches long, four to six inches broad, with very numerous spreading 

 or decurved slender branches, the upper ones simply spicate, the 

 lower forked or subpinnate and subtended by large red lanceolate 

 bracts. Flowers moderately close, fifteen to twenty to a simple 

 branch. Flower-bracts deltoid-navicular, striated, acute, but 

 scarcely mucronate, under a quarter of an inch long. Calyx 

 including ovary one-third of an inch long ; sei)als oblong-lanceolate, 

 not cuspidate, about as long as the ovary. Petals about one- 



