186 HANDBOOK OF BROMELIACE^E. 



25. D. DEcoMPosiTA Baker.: — Leaves ujilmown. Lower branch 

 of panicle with several simple moderately dense erecto-patent 

 branchlets 2-5 in. long ; rachis stiff, slender, glabrous ; flower- 

 bracts ovate, acute, the lower i in. long. Calyx |~^ in. long ; 

 sepals very rigid, oblong, obtuse, glabrous, much imbricated. 

 Petals more than twice as long as the calyx ; blade lanceolate, 

 acute, iV~8 ^^' broad. Stamens as long as the petals ; filaments- 

 filiform. Style a little overtopping the petals. 



Hab. Argentine Kepublic ; province of Mendoza, Gillies \ (Herb. Kewj. 

 Cerros de Chayados, Bliers 1098 ! (Herb. Mus; Brit.). A very distinct plant, of. 

 which, unfortunately, the material is incomplete. 



26. D. GiLLiESii Baker. — Pitcairnia spiiiosa Gillies inedit. — Leaf 

 lanceolate, 3-4 in. long, ^ in. broad at the base, narrowed gradually 

 to the point, the edge rolled together above the base, glabrous on: 

 the face, argenteo-lepidote and conspicuously vertically lineate on: 

 the back, armed on the margin with large hooked spreading" 

 stramineous spines, the lower ^ in. long. Inflorescence a simple" 

 lax spike 6-9 in. long ; rachis obscurely pubescent ; flowers usually' 

 solitary; flower-bracts ovate,- acute, rigid, the lower as long- as the. 

 calyx. Sepals oblong-navicular, rigid, glabrous, ' -^ in. long." 

 Petals and stamens only seen in the bud- stage, the former with an 

 oblong lamina. 



Hab. Argentaria ;• Las Achiras, province- of Cordova, Gi7^ies I 



27. D. MARiTiMA Baker. — Leaves ensiform, very thick.and rigid, a 

 foot long, Jin. broad low down, narrowed gradually to a brown pungent- 

 tip ; glabrous on both sides, concave on the back, acutely keeled; 

 marginal spines distant, middle-sized, deltoid-cuspidate, horny, 

 brown, hooked. Inflorescence a small panicle of 3-4 spicate 

 branches, the end one the longest, 6-8 in. long ; rachis slender,, 

 pubescent ; flowers solitary or clustered, sessile, pubescent ; branch- 

 bracts very small ; flower-bracts much shorter than the ealyx.- 

 Sepals oblong, obtuse, pubescent, ^ in. long. Petals falcate,- 

 Ungulate, twice as long as the sepals. Stamens rather longer 

 than the petals ; filaments filiform. Styles 3, longer than the- 

 ovary. 



Hab. Salt marshes of the coast of South Brazil, Tweedie ! 



28. D. GRANDiFOLiA Baker. — Leaves rigid, ensiform, 3 ft. long, 

 1-|~2 in. broad at the dilated base, an inch at the base of the blade ; 

 marginal spines very large. Inflorescence an ample panicle with, 

 spicate branches, the lower -| ft. long, dense upwards ; upper- 

 flowers 2-3-nate ; flower-bracts small, ovate. Sepals oblong, 

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

 Style i in. long. 



Hab. South Brazil; Kio Grande do Sul, St. Hilaire 276 ! (Herb. Par.). 



29. D. Selloa Baker. Prionophyllmn Sellonni K. Koch Ind. 

 Sem. Hort. Berol. 1873, App. 4, 7. — Leaves lanceolate, 8-9 in.' 

 long, f-1 in. broad above the dilated base, tapering gradually to 

 the point, rigid, glabrous above, thinly lepidote, armed with large 

 spreading deltoid-cuspidate spines. Peduncle 1^-2 ft. long ; bract-' 

 leaves with long toothed tips. Inflorescence a lax panicle above a 



