766 



V. BROMELIACE^]. 



The petioles of Bananas, and especially those of the Abaca (Afusa tei-tilis), are formed of very 

 tenacious fibres, of which the natives make thread and textile fabrics; they also use the Wade of the leaves 

 to cover their huts. Jtavenala madagascariensis is the finest species of the family ; its popular name of 

 Traveller's-tree is due to the reservoir formed by the leaf-sheaths, in which a limpid and fresh water 

 collects, which may be obtained by piercing the base of the petiole [probably the rain-water which falls 

 on the blade and is conducted by the grooved midrib to the sheathing petiole]. The inhabitants of 

 Madagascar cook its bruised seeds with milk, and prepare a broth from them ; the pulpy aril of the seed, 

 remarkable for its magnificent blue colour, yields an abundant volatile oil. The juice of Musa Ensete is 

 considered in Abyssinia a strong diaphoretic [the succulent interior of the stem is eaten ; not the fruit, 

 which is small, dry, and full of very large seeds]. 



V. BROMELIACE^E. 



A.-L. de Jussieu. BROMELIACE^E, Lindl. BROMELI^E ET TILLANDSLS, 

 Adr. Jussieu.) 



FLOWERS $ . PERIANTH 6-merous, 2-seriate, the exterior calycoid, the inner 

 petaloid. STAMENS 6, epigynous, perigynous or hypogynous. OVARY inferior or semi- 

 inferior or superior, 3-celled. BERRY indehi&cent, or CAPSULE 3-valved. SEEDS albu- 



Pine-apple. 

 Diagram. 



Pine-apple. 



Flower cut vertically 



(mag.). 



Pine-apple. (Ananasta tatira.) 

 Spike terminated by a crown of 

 leaves. 



Dyclia rfinotijlora. 

 Fruit. 



Pine-apple. 



Transverse section of 



ovary. 



Pine-apple. 

 Vertical section of ovule. 



Pine-apple. 

 Rower. 



Pine apple. 

 Petal and stamen. 



Pine-apple. 

 Calyx and pistil. 



Dyckia. 

 Vertical section of seed (mag.). 



Dyckia. 

 Seminiferous valve ; discoid 



