DYCEIA. 135 



stouter, branches ascending, 8-12 in. long, flowers in clusters of 

 8-5, half an inch or an inch apart. Dimensions of flower-bract 

 and flower as in D. rarijiora. Capsule twice as long as the calyx. 



Hab. Argentine Bepublic ; province of Cordoba, Hieronymus. Puya 

 edulis E. Morren in Belg. Hort. 1878, 354, of which I have only seen an imma- 

 ture living plant at Kew, is probably one of these large Dyckias. It was intro- 

 duced by Lietze from the region of the Rio Doce, and the fecula contained in 

 the leaves is said to have saved the lives of thousands of Indians in a season of 

 famine. 



21. D. MicRACANTHA Baker. — Leaves ensiform, a foot long, an inch 

 broad above the dilated base, tapering gradually to the pungent 

 apex, green and naked on the face, thinly white-lepidote on the 

 back, armed with minute ascending horny prickles. Inflorescence 

 panicled, the end spike much the largest, moderately dense, a foot 

 long, with a stout pubescent rachis ; flower- bracts ovate, J-|^ in. 

 long. Sepals oblong, obtuse, ^ in. long. Petals half as long 

 again as the calyx ; blade short, obovate. Stamens shorter than 

 the petals. Style very short. 



Hab. South Brazil, Sello 1097! (Herb. Beg. Berol.). Nearly allied to 

 D. catharinensis. 



Subgenus 2. Prionophyllum, 



22. D. suBSECUNDA Baker. — Leaves not seen. Inflorescence an 

 ample panicle with long lax subsecund branches ; flowers often 

 2-3-nate ; pedicel short, thick ; flower-bracts oblong-lanceolate, 

 ^-f in. long. Sepals oblong, ^ in. long. Petals little longer than 

 the calyx. Stamens longer than the petals. Style elongated. 



Hab. Central Brazil ; Minas Geraes, St. Hilaire ! (Mus. Par.). 



23. D. AuGUSTiE Baker. Encholirion Augusta R. Schomb. in 

 Verhand. Preuss. Garten. 18, t. 2. Cararjuata Awjustcc Benth. Gen. 

 Plant, iii. 668. — Leaves about a dozen in a sessile rosette, lanceo- 

 late-acuminate, nearly a foot long, J in. broad above the dilated 

 base, rigid, green and naked on both sides, armed towards the base 

 with small deltoid spines. Peduncle a foot long ; bract-leaves 

 crowded, with a large ovate clasping base and a subulate enrolled 

 rigid tip. Panicle dense, 8-4 in. long ; branch-bracts ovate- 

 acuminate, 1-2 in. long; pedicels short. Sepals oblong, naked, 

 \ in. long. Petals purple, with an obovate blade \ in. long and a 

 distinct claw. Stamens much shorter than the petals. Style J in. 

 long, equalling the ovary. 



Hab. British Guiana ; Mount Boraima, Rich. ScJioynburgJc 1021 ! Gathered 

 lately by Mr. Im Thurn, on the very summit of the mountain. 



24. D. LONGiPETALA Baker. — Leaves not seen. Inflorescence a 

 panicle witli a slender terete woody rachis and branches and long 

 slender laxly spicate branchlets ; flower-bracts ovate, ^ in, long. 

 Sepals oblong, obtuse, glabrous, ^ in. long. Petals oblanceolate- 

 unguiculate, an inch long. Stamens nearly as long as the petals ; 

 anthers linear, ^ in. long. Style protruded beyond the tip of the 

 petals, nearly an inch long. 



Hab. Banks of the Maranon,BonpZaw(? 3595 ! (Herb. Beg. Berol. named 

 Puyajiava). 



