128 HANDBOOK OF BIlOMELIACEiE. 



24. COTTENDORFIA Scliultes fil. 



Sepals distinct, oblong, obtuse. Petals distinct, obovate-un- 

 guiculate, twice as long as the sepals, not twisted after flowering, not 

 scaled at the base. Stamens about as long as the petals, 3 hypo- 

 gynous, 3 adnate to the very base of the petals ; filaments sub- 

 ulate ; anthers linear, erect. Ovary superior, ovoid, 3-celled; ovules 

 superposed ; style very short, trifid ; stigmas linear, convolute. 

 Capsule septicidally 3-valved. Seeds linear, with a beak at each end 

 as long as the nucleus. — Structure of Dyckia, with the leaf of a 

 typical Pitcairnia. Inflorescence an ample panicle, with minute 

 white flowers. 



Leaves thin, flat ....... Sp. 1-5. 



Leaves rigid, linear-subulate .... Sp. 6. 



1. C. FLORIDA Schultes fil. Syst. vii. 1193. — Leaves linear, 

 narrowed into a long subulate point, 3-6 ft. long, ^-^ in. broad, 

 dull glaucous green on the face, white -lepidote beneath, without 

 marginal prickles. Peduncle with inflorescence reaching a length 

 of 8 ft. Panicle ample, lax, erect ; rachises glabrous ; branches 

 spreading horizontally, 3-5 in. long ; branch-bracts small, lanceo- 

 late ; branchlets 3-5 from near the top of the branches, 1-3 in. 

 long, densely spicate, bearing each 30-60 flowers ; flower-bracts 

 ovate, acute, a line long. Sepals ovate, obtuse. Petals white, 



Hab. Brazil ; province of Bahia, on the stony heights of the Serra de 

 Sincora, Martins. 



2. C. ALBICANS Griseb. Symb. Argent. 330. — Leaves 2|-3 ft. 

 long, linear-acuminate from a large ovate slightly serrated base, 

 -|-| in. broad above the base, narrowed gradually to a long point, 

 entire, nearly naked above, persistently matted with dirty-white 

 tomentum beneath. Peduncle as long as the leaves ; lower bract- 

 leaves elongated. Inflorescence a lax panicle l-|-2 ft. long ; 

 branches short, ascending, bipinnate ; final branchlets moderately 

 dense, 1-lf in. long; flower-bracts ovate, acute, 1-2 lines long. 

 Sepals ^-^ in. long. Petals obovate-unguiculate, whitish, twice 

 as long as the sepals. Stamens as long as the petals. Ovary 

 ampullseform. Style very short. Seeds with a minute nucleus 

 and long tail at each end. 



Hab. Argentine Eepublic ; province of Oran, Lorentz dO Hieronymus 288 ! 

 502! (Herb. Eeg. Berol.). 



3. C. Pearcei Baker. — Leaves not seen. Inflorescence a lax 

 decompound panicle 1^ ft. long, ^ ft. broad; branches slender, 

 arcuate, the lower copiously compound ; final branchlets laxly 

 subspicate, reaching 2-3 in. long, like the bracts thinly white-floccose ; 

 flower-bracts ovate, acute, scariose, ^-^ in. long. Sepals oblong, 

 obtuse, ^ in. long. Petals obtuse, twice as long as the sepals. 

 Capsule oblong ; valves ^ in. long, tipped with a short style. 



Hab. Western slope of the Andes; Butuco, Pearce (Mus. Brit.). Gathered 

 in 18G5. 



