BROMELIA. 25 



lepidotc, the marginal prickles minute. Peduncle terete, G in. to 

 2 ft. or more long, bearing about the middle a dense spike 2-4 in. 

 long, bracteated by one large reduced leaf and other small ones. 

 Flower-bracts ovate, with a large cusp, rigid, -I in. long, serrated. 

 Ovary ^ in. ; sepals ^ in. long. Petals ^ in. long, whitish. Fruit 

 pulpy, containing 6 small seeds. 



Hab. High campos of Central Brazil, A. Cnnninqham ! (year 1815) 1 

 Burchell 5008! Sello 5215! llcfineU 12()() ! Clam><en 361! Glaziou 132^9! 

 Introduced into cultivation about 1840. Described from a i^lant that flowered 

 at Kew, Feb., 1877. 



2. A. ANANAssoiDES Baker. — Leaves rigid, linear, very acu- 

 minate, 3 ft. or more long, under an inch broad above the dilated 

 base ; prickles middle-sized, falcate. Peduncle 1|- ft. long. In- 

 florescence a dense oblong terminal central capitulum 1| in. long, 

 1 in. diam.; flower-bracts ovate-lanceolate, acute, spine-edged, | in 

 long. Calyx with ovary shorter than the bract. Petals lingulate, 

 shortly protruded. 



Hab. Central Brazil ; between Goyaz and Cujaba, collected by Weddell in 

 1844; Caldas, Eefpiell 12G1 ! (Herb. Paris). Has entirely the habit of a small 

 Aiiaiuis, but the bract is quite free from the ovary. 



13. Bromelia Linn., ex parte. 

 [AgallostacJiys Beer). 



Sepals free down to the top of the ovary, oblong, not mucronate. 

 Petals free or obscurely connate at the base, not scaled. Stamens 

 inserted at the base of the petals ; filaments short ; anthers linear, 

 erect, almost basifixed. Ovary inferior, cylindrical-trigonous ; 

 ovules many in a cell ; style filiform ; stigmas short, scarcely 

 twisted. Fruit a large yellowish berry. Seeds as large as a pea, 

 with a thin testa. — Leaves in the typical species long, rigid, ensi- 

 form, armed with pungent hooked spines. Infiorescence a dense 

 panicle, the lower branch -bracts with a serrated cusp and the 

 crowded arcuate stem-leaves similar to the rosette leaves in texture, 

 but shorter and often coloured bright red. 



Petals but little longer than the sepals , . Sp. 1-4. 

 Petals much longer than the sepals , . Sp. 5-6. 



1. B. PiNGUiN Linn. Sp. Plant. 408 (Dill. Elth. t. 240, fig. 311 ; 

 Trew Ehret. t. 51) ; Bed. Lil. t. 396. AgaUostachys Pinguin Beer. 

 Karatas Pinguin Miller. Ananas Pinguin Gaert. Karatas Plmnieri 

 Devan. non Morren. — Acaulescent. Leaves 100 or more in a 

 rosette, ensiform, stiffly erect in the lower half, reaching a length 

 of 5-6 ft., 1^-2 in. broad at the middle, tapering gradually to the 

 point, green and glabrous on the face, thinly white-lepidote on the 

 back, armed with very large toothed pungent brown prickles. 

 Peduncle stout, stiffly erect, about a foot long, its leaves often 

 bright red. Panicle dense, stiffly erect, 1-2 ft. long ; axis and 

 branches densely mealy ; branch-bracts oblong, pale, lower with a 

 rigid spine-edged cusp ; lower branches 3-4 in. long, bearing 6-8 



