BILLBERGIAS 545 
i. LALINDE! (Lalinde’s), Leaves 3 or 4 feet long, broad, concave, 
finely toothed. Calyx green, with pink tips, the petals not showing; © 
bracts large, crimson. Introduced from Columbia, 1867. 
ARIE-REGINA (Queen Mary’s). Leaves tufted, 2 to 3 feet long. 
Flowers tipped with blue, changing to salmon-pink ; scape with many 
large, rose-pink, boat-shaped bracts; June and July. Introduced from 
Costa Rica, 1863. 
ZB. SPECTABILIS (showy). Leaves strap-shaped, channeled, 2} feet 
long. Flowers rosy crimson, large. Introduced from Guatemala, 1875. 
A. Verrcum (Veitch’s). Leaves strap-shaped, leathery, tufted. 
Flowers scarlet, closely invested by bracts with scarlet teeth. Introduced 
from Columbia, 1877. 
There are many other beautiful Achmeas ; but as the genus is not 
well represented in gardens, more space need not be devoted to them here. 
he instructions given for growing Karatas apply to 
Aichneas. 
Description of Aichmea fulgens, upper portion of plant, natural size. 
Plate 250. Fig, 1 is a separated flower; 2, a section of the same. 
Cultivation. 
BILLBERGIAS 
Natural Order BROMELIACEH. Genus Billbergia 
BILLBERGIA (named in honour of J. G. Billberg, a Swedish botanist). A 
genus of thirty-six species of stove perennials with strap-shaped, spiny, 
rigid leaves, and flowers with three-parted calyx and corolla, borne in 
racemes or panicles, the peduncle being usually clothed with conspicuous 
brightly coloured bract-leaves. They are natives of Tropical America. 
Some of the species are exceedingly handsome both in leaf and flower. 
They are not popular with British cultivators. 
BILLBERGIA IRIDIFOLIA (Iris-leaved). Leaves sword- 
shaped, grey beneath. Flowers red and yellow, tipped 
with blue; scape and bracts crimson; March. Introduced from Rio 
Janeiro, 1825. 
B, MARMORATA (marbled). Leaves broad strap-shaped, edges toothed, 
green-blotched, and barred with reddish brown. Flowers deep blue; 
calyx green, tipped with blue; bracts large, leafy, bright scarlet. 
B. NUTANS (nodding). Leaves narrow, almost grass-like, dark green, 
with distant spines. Flower-spike arched and bearing a loose raceme of 
drooping flowers. Sepals reddish, edged with blue; petals yellowish 
iVi-—i3 
Principal Species. 
