1889. J BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 22 



3 



hedges. Still another form is a genuine tree cactus, or, at 

 least, it has a trunk looking exactly like that of a smooth 

 tree, and throws out limbs from the top in arborescent fashion. 

 It seems to be an Opuntia, as it has the flat lobes and the 

 flowers and fruit of that genus. 



I notice a number of Agaves, with towering flower stems 

 from fifteen to twenty feet in height. I know that it is said 

 that the Agave plant dies after flowering once. That may 

 be so with what we call at home the Mexican Agave, which 

 is frequently cultivated here, and which I have not seen in 

 flower, but I am strongly inclined to think that it is not the 

 case with another species which is a native of Paraguay, 

 and plants of which T often see in flower. I am sure that I 

 have seen, more than once, living plants with the withered 

 stalks of last year's flowers upon them. I do not think that 

 I can be mistaken in calling this an Agave, as it has the tall 

 spike and the peculiar flowers and fruit of that genus. How- 

 ever, I do not wish to be dogmatic upon the question, and 

 leave the matter for further investigation. 



Yuccas are numerous, some of them quite diminutive and 

 others which thrust their radiating spear-like leaves over an 

 area six or eight feet in diameter, and throw up a flower 

 stalk of equal height. Akin to the Yucca, at all events in 

 general appearance, if in no other point, is a very striking 

 plant which belongs to the Bromeliaceae (possibly Bromelia 

 Caraguata, as some botanists name it). The native Guarani 

 name of the plant is " Caraguata," and many of the common 

 people, who seem to recognize its affinities intuitively, call it 

 the "wild pine-apple." This has numerous long and stiff 

 dagger-like leaves, with hooked spines on their edges, and 

 in its center a rosette of brilliant scarlet foliage, which can 

 be seen for a long distance. The flowers are white, on a 

 thick caudex, at length producing a huge bunch of fig-like 

 fruit, which remind one, indeed, of the pine-apple, but are 

 by no means sweet and luscious to the taste. The brilliant 

 coloring of the leaves disappears altogether after flowering, 

 and nothing remains of it in the dried specimens. Mr. Ball 

 (" Notes of a Naturalist in South America," p. 210) calls 

 this a plant peculiar to the Chilian flora, but he is mistaken, 

 as it is equally common in Paraguay, and has long been 

 known to the inhabitants as one of the many wild plants 

 which can be used in the manufacture of textile fabrics. 

 The fibers of the leaves- when properly treated, split into 

 fine threads, forming an excellent material for cordage and 



