NO. I BROMELIACEAE OF BRAZIL — SMITH IO5 



2. Rhachis 6-7 mm. in diameter ; flowers stout, suberect ; floral bracts 20 mm. 



long, much shorter than the sepals, fleshy-coriaceous. 



63. V. goniorachis 

 I. Leaf-blades linear, ligulate, or lance-triangular. 



3. Flowers merely divergent at anthesis ; upper scape-bracts shorter than 



the internodes ; floral bracts much shorter than the sepals. 

 4. Pedicels slender, 8 mm. long; sepals subacute, 25-30 mm. long. 



64. V. amethystina 

 4. Pedicels very short; sepals obtuse, 16-18 mm. long. 



5. Leaf-blades lance-triangular, almost the same length as the sheaths, 



35 mm. wide 65. V. lancif olia 



5. Leaf-blades linear, several times longer than the sheaths, 13 mm. wide. 



66. V. parviflora 

 3. Flowers spreading to reflexed at anthesis. 



6. Floral bracts with truncate bases, usually bright red or yellow, sometimes 

 pale green. 

 7. The floral bracts from about the same length as the internodes to 

 twice as long, from slightly shorter than the sepals to equaling 

 them; rhachis slender, flexuous, its internodes more or less curved; 

 inflorescence few-flowered. (Fig. 43.) 

 8. Sepals 35-40 mm. long; floral bracts about twice as long as the 

 internodes ; scape-bracts all imbricate ; stamens exserted. 



67. V. psittacina 



8. Sepals to 25 mm. long ; floral bracts about equaling the internodes ; 



scape-bracts nearly all shorter than the internodes in this variety 

 with a simple inflorescence; stamens included.... 22. V. procera 

 7. The floral bracts mostly 3 times as long as the internodes or more; 

 rhachis stout, straight or geniculate with straight internodes ; in- 

 florescence usually many-flowered. (Fig. 44.) 



9. Floral bracts recurved toward the apex and with undulate margins, 



ample, to 55 mm. long, enfolding and exceeding the sepals. 



68. V. recurvata 

 9. Floral bracts straight or slightly incurved toward the apex. 



ID. The floral bracts sharply carinate, the keel incurved toward the 



apex, nerved ; sepals 20-30 mm. long 69. V. morreniana 



ID. The floral bracts slightly if at all carinate, the keel nearly 

 straight; sepals 30-40 mm. long. 

 II. Sepals exserted; floral bracts suborbicular, rather thin, only 



the lowest spreading and not imbricate 49. V. gradata 



II. Sepals included; floral bracts narrower, coriaceous, all spread- 

 ing with age, (Fig. 44.) 70. V. ensifcrmis 



6. Floral bracts with decurrent auricles at base, usually dull green ; stamens 

 included so far as known. 

 12. Sepals 45 mm. long, narrow, much exserted ; floral bracts recurved 

 toward the apex, acute, subchartaceous ; leaves densely marked 



with spots or lines or both together 71. V. fenestralis 



12. Sepals 20-33 mm. long; floral bracts from nearly straight to incurved. 

 13. Floral bracts coriaceous, smooth and even when dry, not at all 

 fleshy. 



