21 



Leaves, ciliate- spinous, sharp-pointed, spike co- 

 mose. Root, perennial, fibrous. Root-leaves, from 

 2 to 3 feet long, and from 2 to 3 inches broad, chan- 

 nelled, often a little glaucous. Stem, short, cylindri- 

 cal, thick, leafy. Spike, glomerate, dense, scaly, oval 

 or conic, crowned with a tuft of leaves, similar to the 

 root and stem leaves, but smaller. Flowers, bluish, 

 sessile, small, and scattered upon the common, thick, 

 fleshy receptacle, which, after the flowers fall off, in- 

 creases in size, and becomes a succulent fruit, covered 

 on all sides with small triangular scales, and resem- 

 bling the strobile of the genus Pinus, whence its 

 common English name is derived. It is a native of 

 South America, and is now found wild also in Africa 

 and Hindostan. 



Although a native of tropical climates, it must not 

 be supposed, however, that the pine apple plant is an 

 exotic of a very tender kind ; for, on the contrary, if 

 removed from a temperature of 100 degs., and placed 

 in one nearly freezing for hours, it will exhibit no im- 

 mediate external change, or that flacidity which 

 would mark the appearance of most other exotics 

 similarly treated. (Glendinning on Pine Apple, 8.) 



As it is not a tender, so, neither, is it a short-lived 

 plant. We have seen in India an old root that had 

 continued to bear fruit annually for six or seven 

 years, and the suckers on which were still in full 

 vigour. Mr. Hamilton, after some years' experience, 



