124 H.^DBOOK OF BROMELIACE.E. 



close middle-sized ascending spines wliicli are dark-brown and 

 horny down to the base. Peduncle stout, stiffly erect, 2-3 ft. long ; 

 lower bract-leaves ensiform and spiny, upper ovate and scariose. 

 Inflorescence a dense spike 6-9 in. long ; flower-bracts ovate, 

 acute, spine-margined, an inch or more long. Calyx green, 

 glabrous, an inch long ; segments ovate, acute. Petals yellowish- 

 green, obovate, twice as long as the calyx. Stamens as long as the 

 petals. Capsule -| in. long, glossy brown, loculicidally 3-valved. 

 (Seeds with a broad pale horny wing all round the nucleus. 



Hab. Ancles of Peru, near Chinchao, &c., Ruiz & Pavon. Sachapata, 

 Lechler 3131 ! This is much dwarfer than any of the other species of the 

 group. 



2. P. NIVALIS Baker. — Leaves ensiform-acurainate from a dilated 

 base 1^-2 in. broad, under an inch broad above the base, a foot 

 long, narrowed gradually to the tip, not very rigid, green and 

 glabrous on the face, obscurely lepidote beneath, armed with large 

 distant uncinate decurved spines horny down to the base. Inflor- 

 escence with spike 10 ft. long. Spike dense, a foot long ; flower- 

 bracts ovate-acuminate, membranous, floccose, lf-2 m. long ; 

 pedicel short. Calyx densely floccose, under an inch long. Petals 

 twice as long as the calyx. Stamens reaching to the tip of the 

 petals. 



Hab. Nevada of Santa Marta, near the snow, Piirdie ! Gathered in 18-14. 



3. P. Trian^ Baker. — Leaves rigid, ensiform, acuminate, under 

 a foot long, -^ in. broad, armed with large marginal prickles. 

 Peduncle short, stout. Inflorescence a dense simple spike 2 ft. 

 long ; flower-bracts ovate, very woolly, scariose, the lower above 

 2 in. long, If in. broad. Flowers like those of P. lanata. 



Hab. New Granada ; Cordilleras of Pasto, alt. 11000—12000 ft., Triana 

 559! (HLerb. Par.). 



4. P. LANUGINOSA Schultes fil. Syst. Veg. vii. 1234. Fourrctid 

 lamiijinosa Euiz et Pav. Fl. Peruv. iii. 33, t. 256. — Trunk reaching 

 a length of 6-8 ft., simple or forked. Leaves 60-100 in a dense 

 rosette, ensiform, 2-2^^- ft. long, an inch broad low down, rigid, 

 tapering gradually to a long point, green above, persistently wbite- 

 lepidote beneath, armed with ascending distant furfuraceous spines. 

 Peduncle very stout, 2^-3 ft. long ; lower bract-leaves with long 

 points ; upper small, scariose. Inflorescence a dense simple spike a 

 foot long, 3 in. diam. ; flower-bracts ovate, acute, 1-2 in. long, 

 very woolly on the back. Calyx 1-lJ in. long, densely woolly; 

 sepals much imbricated, obtuse. Petals greenish-blue, an inch 

 longer than the calyx ; blade obovate. Stamens as long as the 

 petals. 



Hab. Andes of Peru, Favon ! Described from a plant that flowered at Kew 

 in Oct., 1888. It is figured under the name of P. chilensis Gard. Chron. 1872, 

 1102, fig. 259, from plants flowered in the Scilly Islands by the late Mr. 

 Augustus Smith. 



5. P. Brittoniana Baker. — Leaves ensiform, acuminate, mode- 

 rately Arm in texture, |-f in. broad low down, tapering gradually 

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



