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■■i 



342 



CAROA. 



[append. 



Gen. Char. Calyx superior and trifid. Corolla tri- 

 pctalous, with nectariferous scales at the base of each 

 petal. Fruit an unbellate, trilocular berry. 



Section 1st. With flowers discrete or separated. 



Spec. Char. Leaves ciliate, spiny, stained with trans- 

 verse green and whitish marks. 



Nat. Char. No stem. 



Leaves radical and few, (from 3 to 7>) from three to 

 six feet long, channelled, revolute, and spiny, green in 

 the interior or concave surface, and stained with trans- 

 verse whitish marks on the exterior or convex surface. 



Flowers. The stalk two feet long, flexuose and al- 

 most spiral, with alternate scales without thorns; the 

 spike simple, the peduncle or flower stalk short. Brac- 

 teae small, the floral leaves simple, and at the foot of 

 each flower stalk. Calyx monophyllous, with obtuse 

 indentations, trifid, tubular, permanent and erect. Co- 

 rolla tripetalous, tubular, of a bluish purple colour, 

 oblong, obtuse, erect, with nectariferous scales at the 

 bases ; from the middle of each petal to the bottom is 

 a channel which sheaths a single filament of the stamina. 

 Stamina consist of six filaments inserted in the re- 

 ceptacle; of these, three are alternate with, and three 

 are opposite to the petals ; of the last the bases run 

 down the grooves in the petals, and fix themselves in 

 the receptacle. Pistil consists of one filiform style, 

 with a single stigma. Pericarp, an oval, pointed berry, 

 somewhat angular and umbellate, nearly of the size of 

 an olive. 



The plant is to be found in the Sertoens of Pernam- 

 buco, Paraiba, Seara, and principally in the Sertam of 

 Cariri de Fora, and Pajau, and upon the banks of the 

 river St. Francisco. It blossoms in the months of July, 

 August, and September. 



