: | [Prate 74.] 
THE THYRSE-LIKE BILLBERGIA. 
(BILLBERGIA THYRSOIDEA,) 
A Stove Perennial, from Brazil, with rich crimson bracts, arranged in a cone, belonging to BRoMELIADS. 
Specific Character. 
gene gn e LIKE BILLBERGIA. Leaves erect, | era emm ge folis erectis lato- 
ped, with a point, unifo igulat cavis, 
st erc d about as long as th هما الاسم‎ scapo sub-sequalibus, bracteis ovato- 
B ovato-lanceo , collected into a cone or | d acuminatis in strobil aggregatis, spicd 
spike like a thyrse in form. Calyx covered with white | ^ thyrsoideá, ovariis albo-farinosis, petalis obtusis calyce 
mealiness. Petals obtuse, much longer than the calyx. |  multó longioribus. 
Billbergia thyrsoidea : Martius in Römer and Schultes Sp. Plant., T., 1261. 
E them with the manner of growth and appearance of a Pine Apple, except that the leaves are 
wholly destitute of a mealy or glaucous covering, but are a clear bright green. Leaves loosely 
arranged, rather wavy, with small prickly serratures, and a short abrupt point. Bracts rich crimson, 
very regularly arranged in an oblong obtuse cone, or thyrse, not mealy. Flowers rather larger than the 
bracts, and of nearly the same colour. Sepals oblong, obtuse, smooth, much shorter than the closed- 
up straight erect petals. Stamens six; three free, and opposite the sepals ; three united to about the 
middle of the petals which have at the base a pair of half ovate scales, the outer edge of which is 
coarsely toothed, Ovary covered with a fine white loose mealiness, which is composed of minute 
oval loose cells filled with air ; three-celled, with numerous anatropal ovules having an elevated raphe, 
a crested chalaza, and a large secundine projecting beyond the orifice of the primine ; the stigmas are 
three, and convolute. 
Such are the characteristic marks of this very beautiful stove plant, originally found by Martius 
on rocks near Rio Janeiro, and recently imported by M. de Jonghe of Brussels. For the opportunity 
B2 
