PITCAIRNIA. 121 



long ; flower-bracts ovate acute, f-1 in. long. Sepals very acumi- 

 nate, 1^ in. long. Petals blue, an inch longer than the calyx. 

 Capsule ovoid, shorter than the calyx, nearly free. Seeds with a 

 narrow horny border. 



Hab. British Guiana, Schomhurgk 1062 1 Southern slope of Mount 

 Eoraima, Im Tliurn 45 ! Very near P.Jioccosa. 



121. P. QUETAMEENSis Baker. Puya giietaineensis Andre Enum.5. — 

 Caudex stout, reaching a length of 3 ft. Leaves densely rosulate, 

 ensiform, 2^-3 ft. long, 1^-2 in. broad at the middle, glabrous, finely 

 striated on both faces, margined with distant ascending green 

 spines. Peduncle as long as the leaves, slightly tomentose ; bract- 

 kaves long-pointed. Inflorescence a lax panicle 2-3 ft. long ; 

 rachises, pedicels, bracts and calyx clothed with thick white 

 tomentum; branch-bracts small, ovate; branches laxly 5-7-flowered, 

 subspicate ; flower-bracts ovate, more than half as long as the 

 calyx. Sepals lanceolate, an inch long. Petals narrow, blue, one- 

 third longer than the calyx. 



Hab. Eastern Andes of New Granada, near Quetame, alt. 6000 — 7000 ft., 

 Andre 1217. 



122. P. FLoccosA Kegel in Act. Hort. Petrop. iii. 125. P. 

 vieridensis Hort. Pourretia fioccom K. Koch Wochen. iii. 251. 

 i'itT/rt y/occosa E. Morren inedit. (M.D.). Pourretia laniujinosa and 

 riolacca Hort. — Shortly caulescent. Leaves about 100 in a dense 

 rosette, ensiform-acuminate, 2^-3 ft. long, an inch broad above the 

 dilated base, moderately firm in texture, bright green and glabrous 

 on the face, thinly white-lepidote on the back, armed on the margin 

 with middle-sized hooked prickles. Peduncle as long as the leaves; 

 lower bract-leaves with long produced points. Inflorescence a lax 

 panicle, with numerous ascending laxly spicate branches ; rachises, 

 bracts and calyx densely persistently white-floccose ; flower-bracts 

 ovate, acute, ^-1 in. long. Sepals lanceolate, acuminate, l-l^- in. 

 long. Petals blue, half as long again as the calyx. Stamens ex- 

 serted. Ovary nearly free. 



Hab. Venezuela ; Merida, Fmick d- Sclillm 1 Introduced into cultivation 

 in 1847. Flowered in 1860 at Potsdam. Described mainly from a living plant 

 in the Cactus-house at Kew, received from Dr. Kegel. 



123. P. ccERULEA Benth. in Gen. Plant, iii. Q>QQ. Pourretia 

 c(p,rulea Miers Travels, ii. 531 (name only). P. alpeatris Pcipp. et 

 Endl. Nov. Gen. h. 41, t. 156. Pmja ccBruJea Lindl. in Bot. Keg. 

 1840, t. 11. P. Whytei Hook. fil. in Bot. Mag. t. 5732. P. alpestris 

 C. Gay El. Chil. vi. 11.— Caudex short. Leaves 60-80 in a dense 

 rosette, ensiform, acuminate, 2 ft. long, | in. broad above the ovate 

 base, tapering gradually to a long point, rigid in texture, green and 

 glabrous on the face, densely persistently white-lepidote beneath, 

 armed with distant middle-sized spreading horny prickles. Peduncle 

 stout, erect, 3-4 ft. long ; upper bract-leaves reflexed. Inflores- 

 cence a dense rhomboid panicle 3-4 ft. long with numerous erecto- 

 patent branches barren towards the tip ; pedicels short, erecto- 

 patent ; flower-bracts ovate, acute, scariose, the lower an inch 

 long; rachis not floccose. Sepals oblong-lanceolate, |-1 in. long. 



