BROMELIACE^E. (PINE-APPLE FAMILY.) 471 



Tinear-oblong, cartilaginous, septicidally 3-valvcd, each valve separating into 2 

 plates. Seeds erect, club-shaped, pointed, raised on a long and hairy stalk. 

 Radical leaves mostly crowded, imbricated. Petals fugacious. 



* Stem rigid, erect : flowers spiked, blue. 

 *- Leaves broad at the base, gradually narrowed upward. 



1. T. Utriculata, Lecontc. Leaves scurfy and glaucous, subulate and 

 recurved at the summit, very much dilated, concave and imbricated at the base, 

 shorter than the rigid mostly branching stem ; the uppermost small and sheath- 

 ing ; flowers scattered ; sepals oblong-linear, obtuse, longer than the oblong pu- 

 bescent mcmbranaceous bracts, much shorter than the capsule ; petals pale blue, 

 twice as long as the sepals, slightly spreading at the apex ; stamens exserted. 

 South Florida. June and July. Stem 2 -3 high. The dilated and imbri- 

 cated bases of the leaves form a kind of cup which commonly contains a consid- 

 erable quantity of water. 



2 T. bracteata, n. sp. Leaves scurfy, concave, gradually narrowed up- 

 ward, subulate and erect at the apex, the uppermost reduced to ovate pointed 

 bracts ; stem branched, longer than the leaves ; spikes compressed, 2-edged ; 

 bracts ovate, coriaceous, smooth, closely imbricated in two rows, keeled on the 

 back, longer than the linear acute keeled sepals. South Florida. Stem 2 

 high . Leaves 1 - 1 long. 



3. T. bulbosa, Hook. Small, very scurfy ; leaves broad and clasping at 

 the base, concave, imbricated, nearly equal, spreading above, shorter than the 

 spike; spike simple, few-flowered; bracts oblong, scurfy, imbricated in two rows, 

 longer than the sepals, and half as long as the capsule. South Florida. Stem 

 stout, 4' high. Spike 3' - 4' long, 6 - 7-flowered. Leaves 3' - 4' long Corolla 

 purplish blue. 



-t- <- Leaves linear or filiform, from an abruptly dilated base. 



4. T. juncea, Leconte. Stem slender, leafy; leaves scurfy, linear, con- 

 cave, recurved, longer than the stem, the lowest ones imbricated, the upper 

 sheathing ; spikes branched, few-flowered ; bracts imbricated, smoothish, acute, 

 longer than the sepals ; petals deep blue, three times as long as the sepals, re- 

 curved at the apex. South Florida. Stem 1 high. Spikes 2' -4' long. 

 Leaves 1- 1 long. 



5. T. Bartramii, Ell. Stem slender, leafy ; leaves smooth, erect, filiform, 

 straight and rigid, as long as the stem, the upper ones short and sheathing ; 

 spike branched, few-flowered ; bracts scurfy, imbricated, longer than the sepals, 

 nearly as long as the capsule, the lower ones awned ; petals blue, spreading at 

 the apex. Southern districts of Georgia, Elliott, to South Florida. Stem 1 

 high. Spikes 3' - 4' long. Leaves bristle-like at the summit. 



6. T. CSespitosa, Leconte. Stems low, clustered ; leaves reddish, longer 

 than the stem, scurfy, bristlc-awl-shaped, erect, semi-terete, concave at the base, 

 the upper ones scale-like ; spike 3 - 4-flowered ; bracts imbricated ; petals blue, 

 longer than the bracts, recurved at the apex. (T. pinifolia, Leconte?) East 

 Florida, Lecontc. Plant reddish, 4' - 5' high, growing in large roundish clusters 

 on the trunks of trees. 



