B92 BROMELIACEjE. 



linear bracta 2"-l", bractlets 4"'-3"', calyx 6'" long.— Hab. Antigua], Wullschl.; [GuaJc- 

 loupe!; Gniaua!, on trees]. 



5. .aECHMEA, B. P. (non Brongn) 

 (Hoplophytum, Beer.) 



Petals distinct, snberect, 3-scaled within, perigynous (rarely epigynons) with the alternate 

 stamens : the opposite 3, epipetalons stamens distant from their base. Anthers incumbent. 

 Stigmas convolute. Berry " dry," many -seeded.- — Scape with sterile, coloured bracts below 

 the inflorescence ; leaves sp.ny-serrate ; inflorescence mostly compound : bractlets persistent, 

 atoned or mucronate. 



I follow Mr. Martins and Sir W. Hooker in regarding Hoplophytum of Beer and C. 

 Koch as congeners of A . paniculata, R. P., while Lamprococeus, Beer (jEchmea, Brongn., 

 e.g. A.fulgens, ej.) is another genus, distinguished by the stamens all perigynous, the stig- 

 mas erect, aud the coloured, 3-dentate calyx devoid of a bractlet. If however Ruiz and 

 Pavon's genus (unknown to me bnt by their figure) should prove distinct too, the correct 

 name of Hoplophytum woi\ld be Hohenhergia, Schult. {Acanlhostachys having been sepa- 

 rated from it) : even Pironneaua is an older name than Hoplophytum, and exactly the same 

 geuus, which, though not described, has been fully explained by Gaudichaud's excellent 

 figures. 



Sect. 1. PinoNNEAUA, Gawd. — Calyx-iuie produced ieyond the ovary, lohes atoned. Pe- 

 tals perigynous, connivent : scales muck distant from their base, at the origin of the 

 epipetalous stamens. Ovules beaked, hanging from the summit of the cell. — Inflores- 

 cence terminal, 'branched : flowers in pednncled, imbricate spikes, heads or clusters, each 

 enclosed by an awned, persistent bractlet : peduncles supported by bracts. 



5. A. distans, Gr. (n. sp.) Leaves oblong, slightly enlarged at the entire base, spiny 

 mucronate at the rounded top, pale-green ; bracts lanceolate-acuminate ; peduncles distant, 

 horizontally spreading, superior shorter ; spikes ovoid-oblong, glabrous : bractlets broadly 

 ovate, many-nerved, rigid, awned-cuspidate, as long as the calyx ; calyx-lobes oval-roundish, 

 spiny-awned ; petals shortly exserted, " white," 2-scaled above the middle of the claw : 

 lamina elliptical. — Allied to A. glomerata {P. Gaudich.), but bracts 4"-l", lower pedoncles 

 often 4", spikes l"-2" long. Scape 'slender, several feet high, glabrescent : internodes usually 

 l"-2"long; leaves li'-2' long, 3"-3i" broad; flowers about 6'" long.— Hab. Jamaica!, 

 Pd., on trees, near Dolphin's peak ; [Cuba !]. 



Sect. 2- HoHENBERGlA, Schult. (excl. H. strobilaoea). — Calyx-tube produced beyond the 

 ovary : lodes awned. Petals perigynous, connivent ; s cales at their base distimtfrom^ 

 the origin of the epipetalous stamens. Ovules naked, "or shortly mvcrondte^^^^Tt^oves-' 

 cence terminal, branched : flowers in sessile, or shortly peduncled spikes, heads, cymes or 

 elnsters : each supported by a i)ersistent, awned or mucronate bractlet. 



6. A. aqnilega, Gr. Leaves oblong, subequal at the base, acuminate, pale-gi-een ; bracts 

 long, oblong-lanceolate ; heads spicate-racemose, large, hemispherical, glabrous, superior 

 contiguous, subsessile, inferior gradually more distant, about as long as their compressed pe- 

 duncle : bractlets broadly ovate, keeled, mucronate, equalling the flower ; calyx-lobes ovate- 

 lanceolate, shortly awned ; petals spathulate, shortly exserted, " yellow." — Eeichenb. Exot. 

 t. 239, 340. Bromelia, Salisb. sec. C. Kch. B. paniculigera, 'pLeichenb. (non Sw.). B. 

 capituligera, Reichenb. Hoplophytum panieulatum, Beer. H. bracteatum, C. Kch. {exclus. 

 *^«. Sw.).— Scape stout, 2'-3' high ; leaves 3' long, 2" broad ; inferior bracts 6", raceme 

 6"-8" long ; heads 1" diam.— Hab. Jamaica (Salisb.) ; [Venezuela !, Guiana !, on trees]. 



7. A. bracteata, Gr. Leaves oblong, subequal at the base, mucronate, pale-green be- 

 neath; bracts oblong-lanceolate, as long as the partial spikes, but reduced and subulate in 

 the upper part of the rhachis; spike compound, broad, at first nodding : partial spikes con- 

 tiguous, numerous, subequal, spreading, subsessile, villous : bractlets ovate-oblong, convex 

 on the back, many-ribbed, mucronate, exceeded by the flower; calyx-lobes ovate, shortly 

 awned ; petals spathulate, shortly exserted, " blue."— Bromelia, Sw. : I exclude Hanston's 

 doubtful figure, which represents a Mexican species with distant lower spikelets. Hoplo- 

 phytum polystachyuni. Beer .''—Scape stout, 2^-3' high ; loaves 3'-U' long, 2"-li" broad ; 



