BILLBEKGIA. 75 



bracts is hoary wliite. A very showy plant, blooming in 

 early spring. Native of the Amazon. 



B. marmorata. — This is a very fine, erect-growing species, 

 with the leaves broadly strap-shaped, sheathing at the base, 

 truncate-mucronate at the apex, and very regularly toothed 

 at the edges ; their colour is a deep green, freely blotched 

 and barred with dull reddish brown. The panicles are erect, 

 branched, much longer than the leaves, and supporting deep 

 blue flowers, having the calyces green, tipped with blue. 

 The principal attraction of the plant, however, resides in its 

 very large, leafy, oblong bracts, which, as well as the stems, 

 are bright scarlet. Native of Brazil. 



B. miniata-rosea. — This handsome species has numerous 

 erect, slightly spreading, and recurved greenish white leaves, 

 spiny at the margins ; flower scape erect and fleshy white ; 

 flowers numerous!, rosy red in colour ; bracts large, oblong- 

 lanceolate, red, slightly tinged with blue, and clothed with a 

 mealy farina. Native of Brazil. 



B. Moreliana. — A magnificent plant, the leaves of which 

 are ligulate in shape, banded with white, and armed at the 

 base with a few spines. The racemes are about a foot long, 

 and thickly set with the beautiful bracts and flowers, the 

 former bright rose colom*, the latter deep violet. When 

 grown as a basket plant it produces a brilliant effect. 

 Native of Brazil. 



B. sphacelata. — The leaves of this fine species form a 

 splendid crown, and are from three to four feet long. The 

 flowers are freely produced, rosy red in colour; and the 

 bracts are large, tinged with green. Native of Chili. 



B. thyrsoidea. — This very beautiful species is in habit like 

 an ordinary Queen Pine ; the leaves, however, are not glaucous, 

 but of a clear light green. Both the bracts and flowers are 

 of a deep rich crimson in colour. Native of Rio Janeiro. 



£ 2 



