910 
Though their inflorescence is ample they are usually les 
floriferous, size for size, than Agaves. 
The flowers of Furcraea (Pl. XLII) are pendent and rotately 
campanulate, remaining open, as Hansaire '§ has noted, after 
expansion. Their coloration is inconspicuous: greenish, shading 
into creamy yellow or pure white, especially toward the margins 
of the perianth segments. Sometimes nearly scentless, they 
characteristically emit a pungent odor suggestive of toilet soap 
rather than of any floral perfume elsewhere met with. 
Like very many other Monocotyledons, Furcraea has well- 
developed nectar pockets in the ovarian septa — therefore struct 
urally representing breaks in the cohesion of adjacent carpels, 
and lined by modified epidermis beneath which a sugar-tisste 
lies. The presence of such glands is indicated for the genus 
by Bernsrens'®, and they are shown in section and. described 
by Scunizwinp-Tars?", their general characters being less closely 
comparable with those of Agave than with those of the related 
genus Beschorneria. Unlike the septal glands. of Billbergia, ett 
as pictured by Bronenrart?!, which are wide and plicated and 3 
extend to the base of the ovary so as to possess @ large | 
secreting surface, those of Furcraea are relatively nAtreM | 
plane, and limited to the upper half of the ovary: their secreting 
activity also appears to be small. In these respects they stand 
considerably behind the ovarian glands of Agave and other 
Amaryllid genera. As in Beschorneria, where, howevel; they 
reach to the base of the ovary and secrete very freely, oe 
Furcraea each is narrowed toward the top into a slender duet 
comparable with that of Amaryllis, Hemerocallis, ete but ha 
reaching a length three or four times as great as that of 3 
slit-formed gland proper; and, as in Beschornert, the duct 
Which are long-papillate in contrast with the nearly oe 
surface of the glands proper, open into the floor of the - 
The point of actual discharge, however, is influenced My 
modification of other structures, the lower part of pec on 
in both genera being thick with deep septal groove? ~~ a 
covered by the opposed filaments, thus continuing he 
