168 HANDBOOK OF BROMELIACE.E . 



39. T. DEcoMPOSiTA Baker. — Leaves ensiforra-acuminate, rigidly 

 coriaceous, a foot long, an inch broad at the base of the blade, 

 densely finely lepidote. Peduncle 2 ft. long. Panicle as long as 

 the peduncle ; lower branches very compound ; final spikes dense, 

 distichous, 1-2 in. long, ^ in. diam. ; flower-bracts oblong-lanceo- 

 late, ^ in. long. Calyx as long as the bract. Petal-blade purple, 

 obovate-cuneate, |~| in. long. 



Hab. Paraguay, Balansa, 707 ! (Herb. Mus. Par.). 



Subgenus 4. Platystachys (Beer, non K. Koch.) 



40. T. DURA Baker. — Leaves densely spread over a leafy stem 

 3-6 in. long, linear-subulate, 4-9 in. long, ^-| in. broad low down, 

 ascending, rigidly coriaceous, thinly lepidote. Peduncle 3-4 in. 

 long ; bract-leaves long-pointed. Inflorescence a dense distichous 

 spike 2-3 in. long, ^ in. diam. ; flower-bracts oblong-lanceolate, 

 rigidly coriaceous, obscurely lepidote, ^ in. long. Calyx naked, ^ in. 

 long. Petal-blade oblong, as long as the calyx. 



Hab. South Brazil, Glaziou 16460 ! Habit and leaves of T. stricta var. 

 ca^descens. 



41. T. CAULESCENS Brong. — Leafy stem ^1 ft. long, densely 

 covered with rigid linear-subulate leaves 4-5 in. long, J-^ in. broad 

 at the base, resembling those of T. stricta in texture and vestiture. 

 Peduncle very short. Inflorescence a simple dense distichous 

 spike l|-2 in. long, ^ m. broad ; flower-bracts oblong-lanceolate, 

 red, f in. long. Calyx nearly as long as the flower-bract. Petal- 

 blade Ungulate, ^-^ in. long, J in. broad. Stamens much shorter 

 than the petals. 



Hab. Andes of Southern Peru, C. Gay I Gathered about 1840 (Herb. 

 Mus. Paris). 



42. T. pumLA Griseb. in Gotting. Nacht. 1864, 16, non Lindl. 

 — Habit of T, pruinosa, but the lepidote scales adpressed, not loose. 

 Leaf- blade convolute, longer than the short peduncle. Spike 

 short, dense, simple ; flower-bracts oblong-lanceolate, acute, lepi- 

 dote, ^ in. long. Calyx rather shorter than the bract ; posticous 

 sepal oblong, obtuse, the two others acute. Capsule an inch long. 



Hab. Venezuela; Mountains of Tovar, alt. 3000 ft., Fendler 2163. 



43. T. pRuiNosA Swartz. Fl. Ind. Occ. i. 594 ; E. Morren in 

 Belg. Hort. 1876, 257, t. 16, 17 (M.D.). T. breviscapa Sagra. T. 

 tortilis Klotzsch. Platystachys pndnosa and tortilis Beer. — Whole 

 plant 3-6 in. long. Leaves linsar-subulate from a broad ovate 

 thick clasping utricular base, linear- subulate, 3-4 m. long, J- in. 

 broad low down, tapering gradually to a long point, spreading, 

 flexuose, thick, densely coated with loose lepidote scales. Peduncle 

 very short. Inflorescence a dense oblong distichous spike l|-2 in. 

 long, f-ll in. diam. ; flower-bracts ovate, densely laxly lepidote, 

 f-1 in. long. Calyx reaching the tip of the bract, glabrous. 

 Petal lilac, connivent iu a tube J in. longer than the calyx. 

 Stamens longer than the petals. Capsule 1^-2 in. long. 



Hab. West Indies. Mountains of Venezuela, alt. 5000 ft., Fendler 2448 ! 

 Columbia, Andre 1970. Para, Herb. Lindleij ! Brazil, Glaziou 15462 ! 16461 ! 



