76 OENAMENTAL FOLIAGE PLANTS. 



spine, and at the edges with a few small distant ones of 

 the same colour. It is a very pretty plant, and named 

 after an enthnsiastic amateur cultivator of this order. 

 Native of Mexico. 



A. cuspidata. — ^This is an extremely elegant species. 

 The leaves are spathulate, slightly recurved, from six to 

 eight inches in length, and two in width, dark green, the 

 apex armed with a formidable reddish brown spine an inch 

 long, and the edges with smaller recurved ones of a 

 similar colour. Native of Mexico. 



A. dasyliroides. — ^A very handsome plant, but totally 

 distinct from the plant which has in many instances 

 usurped the name. The leaves are similar to those of 

 A. dealbata, but the plant is more erect in its growth, and 

 the leaves are of a rich dark green colour, with a few 

 greyish lines running up them, and, in addition, are armed 

 at the apex with a dark brown sharp spiae. Native of 

 Mexico. 



A. de Smetiana. — ^This is one of the finest species in 

 cultivation, and extremely rare. The rosulate leaves are 

 somewhat ovate, bright green, margined with a broad band 

 of light brown, upon which are set large reflexed spines 

 of the same colour ; the apex is armed with a very long 

 and stout brown spine. Native of Mexico. 



A. dealbata. — This very rare, distinct, and handsome 

 plant makes little or no stem. The leaves are some three 

 and a half feet long, or in some instances more, and about 

 an inch and a half broad, sharply toothed on the mar- 

 gins, and glaucous green in colour, those in the centre 

 being erect, while the lower ones are recurved. The 

 flower spike attains the height of nine or ten feet, the 

 upper portion on which the flowers are placed being 

 pendulous ; the flowers are green, with reddish brown. 



