NO. I 



BROMELIACEAE OF BRAZIL — SMITH 



163 



2. Floral bracts serrulate ; petals short-connate ; outer bracts of the inflores- 

 cence small and inconspicuous, not forming a notable involucre. (Fig. 

 73-) I. N. burchellii 



2. Floral bracts entire; petals connate for half their length; outer bracts of 



the inflorescence forming an evident involucre 2. N. microps 



Petal-blades erect, obtuse; inflorescence appressed-lepidote to glabrous. (Fig. 

 75.) 



Fig. 71. Fig. 72. 



Fig. 71. — Cryptanthus beuckeri: a, Habit, X%', b, floral bract, Xi; 



c, flower, X I- (b and c after Belgique Horticole.) 



Fig. 72. — Cryptanthus pickelii: a, Habit, X i/io; b, apex of leaf, X i; 



c, floral bract and flower, X i- 



3. Flowers short-spicate, 20 mm. long; petals yellow; floral bracts ovate, 

 acute, equaling the ovary; sepals 7 mm. long, half connate. 



3. N. loeseneri 

 3. Flowers fasciculate; petals never yellow. 



4. Scape naked for most of its length, slender; flowers 25-28 mm. long; 



sepals 12-15 mm. long, connate for 5 mm 4. N. billbergioides 



4. Scape when evident completely covered by its bracts. 



5. Inflorescence nidular, sunk in the center of the leaf-rosette; scape 

 equaling the leaf-sheaths or shorter. 

 6. Leaf-spines 1.5-4 nim. long; leaf-blades acute, narrowed toward the 

 base, only 1-2 times as long as the sheaths; sepals mucronulate, 



20-24 rtini- long .' petals blue 5. N. f ulgens 



6. Leaf-spines not more than i mm. long. 

 7. Floral bracts entire. 

 8. Petals white; flowers 50-65 mm. long; sepals 22-29 mm. long. 

 (Fig. 75.) 6. N. innocentii 



