8G OENAMENTAL FOilAGE PLANTS. 



genus ; it is a garden hybrid, the result of a cross between 

 A. geminiflora and A. dendflora. It is a close habited com- 

 pact-growing plant, the leaves are from ten to twelve 

 inches long, and half an inch broad, dark green on the 

 upper side, slightly paler below ; they are armed at the 

 apex with a long stout spine, but unarmed at the edges ; 

 the margins of the leaves are bordered with a narrow 

 white band their entire length, and in addition they are 

 beautifully ornamented along their edges with long broad 

 white filaments, which add materially to their beauty. Of 

 garden origin. 



A. Thomsoniana. — An elegant, compact, small species, 

 the leaves of which are some eighteen inches in length, 

 and three in breadth in the widest part, dark green, 

 slightly glaucous at base, armed at the edges with small 

 close set red spines, and at the apex with a long and stout 

 dark brown one. Native of San Luis Potosi. 



A. univittata. — Leaves somewhat spreading, from one 

 to two feet in length, and about three inches in breadth, 

 tapering to a point, where they terminate in a stout dark 

 brown spine ; the ground colour is dark green, with a 

 central stripe from base to apex of greenish yellow, the 

 under side pale green, armed at the edges with strong flat 

 recurved dark brown spines. Native of Mexico. 



A. VerscTiaffeltii. — A handsome species of compact habit, 

 producing broad leaves, which are thick and fleshy ; the 

 colour is milky green, the edges and the apex being armed 

 with large brown spines ; it is an exceedingly variable 

 species, some of the varieties being very distinct. It has 

 not yet flowered in Europe. Native of Mexico. 



A. virginica glauca. — Leaves somewhat thin and very 

 glaucous, from two to three feet in length ; the edges are 

 smooth and quite destitute of spines, but the apex is sur- 



