^CHMEA. 39 



18. M. LEucosTACHYs Baker. — Leaves 30 or more in a utricular 

 rosette, ensiform from an ovate base, 2 ft. long, 2|- in. broad above 

 the base, horny, bright green on the face, obscurely lepidote on the 

 back, narrowed gradually to the point, the marginal teeth small, 

 deltoid-cuspidate, not brown. Peduncle 1|- ft. long ; bract-leaves 

 adpressed, pale. Inflorescence a moderately dense cylindrical 

 panicle 8-9 in. long, 2 in. diam. ; upper flowers solitary ; lower 

 3-4 to a branch ; branch-bracts linear ; flower-bracts minute, lan- 

 ceolate. Ovary globose, white-lepidote, ^ in. long and broad ; 

 sepals ovate, cuspidate, ^ in. long. Petals waxy yellow, ^ in. long. 



Hab. Country unknown. Described from a plant that flowered at Kew, 

 Jan., 1883. Intermediate between JS. panicuUgera and Skinneri. 



19. M. Prieureana Baker. EcJdnostachys Prieureana Brong. 

 inedit. — Leaves rigid, ensiform, with an ovate base a foot long, 

 6-7 in. broad ; blade 2-3 ft. long, 3 in. broad low down ; marginal 

 prickles very large, black, the lower J-| in. long. Inflorescence a 

 dense bipinnate panicle 1-2 ft. long, 3 in. diam. ; branchlets 

 slender, zigzag; lowest flower-bracts orbicular, coriaceous, \ in. 

 broad, with a black cusp ^ in. long ; middle bracts ovate ; upper 

 reduced to a mere spine. Ovary with calyx f in. long ; sepals 

 much twisted, longer than the ovary, not mucronate. Petals not 

 seen. 



Hab. French Guiana, Leprieur ! Sent to the Jardin des Plantes in 1856, 

 but was dead when it arrived (Mus. Paris, two specimens). A very distinct and 

 curious species. 



20. M. Castelnavii Baker. — Leaves rigid, ensiform, obscurely 

 lepidote, 3 ft. long, 2J— 3 in. broad ; marginal spines small, close. 

 Peduncle l|-2 ft. long, with 8-10 large red scariose lanceolate 

 bract-leaves. Inflorescence a bipinnate oblong- cylindrical panicle 

 IJ ft. long, 3 in. diam. ; flower-bracts small, ovate. Calyx with 

 ovary \ in. long ; sepals ovate, conspicuously mucronate. Petal- 

 blade small, oblong. 



Hab. Andes of Bolivia : Santa Cruz, Gastelnau I (Herb. Paris). Near ^. 

 tocantina and paniculigera. 



21. M. coLUMNARis Audrc in 111. Hort. 1878, Misc. 51, with 

 woodcut. — Leaves lorate from a dilated base, horny, channelled 

 down the face, green in shade, tinged with red or violet when 

 exposed, 3-6 ft. long, 4-5 in. broad at the middle ; marginal teeth 

 distant, straight, weak. Stem with panicle 7^-8 ft. long. Inflor- 

 escence a long cylindrical bipinnate panicle ; branches spreading 

 horizontally, flexuose, bearing 6-7 laxly-disposed flowers ; lower 

 branches often 2-3-nate, spaced out ; flower-bracts minute, ovate ; 

 branch-bracts linear, deflexed. Ovary cylindrical, ^ in. long ; 

 sepals ovate-lanceolate, rather shorter than the ovary, conspicu- 

 ously cuspidate. Petals grey, half as long again as the sepals. 

 Berry yellow. 



Hab. Columbia ; on the banks of the Eio Honda, alt. 5000 ft., Andre 1753. 

 Near J5J. paniculigera. 



22. iE. TOCANTINA Baker. — Leaves not seen. Peduncle above 2 ft. 

 long ; upper bract-leaves large, red, lanceolate. Inflorescence a 



