iECHMEA. 57 



densely-flowered distichous spikes 1-2 in. long ; flower-bracts 

 oblong, acute, ^-f in. long, quite hiding the calyx. Ovary with 

 calyx as long as the flower-bract ; sepals ovate, shortly mucronate, 

 J- in. long. Petals twice as long as the sepals. Berry bright blue. 



Hab. Amazon valley, Martins, Poppig 271G. Demerara, Appun, Jenman 

 2042 ! 4116 ! Drawn by Morren from a plant flowered at Lif ge in 1882. 



83. M. cHiRiQUENSis Bakcr in Journ. Bot. 1886, 243. — Leaves 

 5-6 in a utricular rosette, lanceolate from an oblong base, above a 

 foot long, f-1 in. broad at the middle, moderately firm in texture, 

 obscurely lepidote on the back, narrowed gradually to the point, the 

 marginal prickles deltoid-cuspidate, spreading horizontally, the 

 largest l-12th in. long. Peduncle slender, under a foot long, with 

 3-4 spreading lanceolate bright red toothed bract-leaves crowded 

 near its apex. Panicle of 2 erecto-patent laxly 8-10-flowered 

 distichous spikes 1^-2 in. long ; flower-bracts oblong-navicular, 

 acute, ascending, ^ in. long. Ovary with calyx reaching to the tip 

 of the bract ; sepals ovate-lanceolate, with a small horny mucro. 

 Petals protruded ^ in. 



Hab. Chiriqui Lagoon, Hart 173 ! Collected on an expedition in 1886. It 

 is probable that a plant at the British Museum from the Mosquito shore, 

 gathered by Captain Miller in 1774, belongs here. It is closely allied to ^E. 

 tillandsioides. 



84. M. PUBESCENS Baker in Journ. Bot. 1879, 135. — Leaves with 

 a dilated entire oblong base and lanceolate blade above a foot long, 

 l-l"! in. broad at the middle, moderately firm in texture, thinly 

 lepidote beneath, narrowed gradually to the point, the lower prickles 

 decurved, horny, Va-g in- long. Peduncle a foot long, with many 

 scariose bract-leaves, the upper bright red^ all erect. Liflor- 

 escence a panicle |~1 ft. long, the lower branches lax and com- 

 pound, the upper simple, the flowering portion distichous, 1-2 in. 

 long ; rachis laxly pubescent ; flower-bracts ovate-cuspidate, coria- 

 ceous, ^-^ in. long, with entirely free sides. Calyx with ovary 

 |— |- in. long, pubescent ; sepals ovate-lanceolate, minutely mucro- 

 nate. Petals pale, exserted ^ in. 



Hab. Porto-bello, Bergius ! (Herb. Linn.). Nicaragua, Ralph Tate 416 ! 

 Chagres, Fendler 449 ! Panama, Seeman 609 ! Not known in cultivation. 



85. M. DACTYLiNA Baker in Journ. Bot, 1879, 135. — Leaves 

 with a dilated ovate base 5-6 in. long and an ensiform lamina 2 ft. 

 long. If- 2 in. broad, moderately firm in texture, thinly lepidote on 

 the back, narrowed gradually to a brown horny pungent point, the 

 lower marginal spines lanceolate, horny, ^-^ in. long. Peduncle a 

 foot long, with scariose imbricated adpressed bract-leaves. Panicle 

 lax, deltoid, above a foot long, the branches subtended by large red 

 lanceolate bracts, the lower half a foot long, bearing near the end 

 3-4 spikes ; upper spikes single ; spikes distichous, densely flowered, 

 3-4 in. long; flower-bracts ovate, i in. long, minutely cuspidate, 

 acutely keeled, free at the sides. Calyx with ovary as long as the 

 bract ; sepals lanceolate, as long as the globose ovary, minutely 

 cuspidate. Petal-blade ^ in. long. 



Hab. Chagres, Panama, Fendler 450 ! Gathered in March, 1850. A very 

 distinct species. 



