THE PINE APPLE. 377 



perfect accuracy, so that we are not absolutely certain 

 that the pine-apple may not be a native of some parts 

 of Asia, and even of Africa, as well as of America. 

 That it is a native of the West is certain, however, as 

 all the varieties, except some of the trivial ones arising 

 from cultivation, are found wild on the continent or 

 the islands of that quarter of the world. 



The Bromelias have been variously described; 

 some having formed them into three or four distinct 

 genera, and others considered them as only species 

 of one. In the Hortus Keiuensis, in the formation 

 of which the very best authorities have been con- 

 sulted, six species are enumerated ; and, with the 

 exception of the Bromelia kumilis (dwarf,) they are 

 all there represented as being natives either of South 

 America or the West Indies. Only one of the species 

 is of any value in cultivation, the others being merely 

 wild plants. The cultivated species is the Jlnanas; 

 but it may be as well first to mention the others. 

 They are the pinguin, or broad-leaved ; the karata, 

 or upright-leaved ; the tongue-leaved, the red-breasted, 

 and the dwarf. 



In the form and combination of their leaves, all 

 the bromelias have some resemblance to each other, 

 and also to the aloe; but the only species in which 

 the seeds are united into one fleshy and esculent 

 strobile, or pine, is the ananas. 



The Pinguin species have the leaves very short 

 and strong about the root, and their edges are armed 

 with strong crooked spines. The fruits are detached ; 

 each about the size of a walnut. The pulp is sweet, 

 but it is at the same time so sharp as to be absolutely- 

 corrosive. A tuft of leaves growing above the fruit 

 makes the pinguin look something like the pine-apple, 

 when seen at a distance ; but the detached fruit soon 

 distinguishes it upon a closer inspection. Though 

 not edible, the pinguin is not without its use. It 



