TILLANDSIA STRICTA. 
I Straight Tillandsia.) 
Class. Order. 
HEXANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
BROMELIACEiE. 
(Bromel-Worts, Veg. King.) 
Generic Character.— Calyx trifid, persistent, con- 
volute. Corolla longer than the calyx, tripartite, or 
tubulose and trifid. Stamens inserted in the tube of 
the corolla. Capsule obtuse, trigonous, three-celled, 
many-seeded. Seeds comose. 
Specific Character.— Plant an epiphyte. Leaves 
recurved, covered with a kind of frost-like scale, lanceo- 
late, acuminate, convolute, longer than the scape. 
Scape erect, less scaly. Flowers bright deep blue, with 
large, ventricose, oblong, acute bracteae, of which the 
lowermost are cuspidate. Petals ovate, acute, and 
spreading at the end, as long as the bracteae.— Lindl., 
Bot. Reg., 1338. 
Authorities and Synonymes.— Tillandsia, Linnaeus. 
T. stricta, Spreng. Syst., ii. 24 ; Bot. Mag., 1529 ; Bot. 
Reg., 1338. 
Although the subject of our present plate is a very old inhabitant of our stoves, 
being introduced by Lady Neal so long ago as 1810, yet as a Bromel-wort it would 
be difficult to find a more beautiful little plant ; indeed it is quite a gem, and we 
are induced to bring it before our readers in the hopes that this notice of its merits 
may lead to its becoming more extensively cultivated; as at present, with a few 
exceptions, it is almost unknown. 
It is a native of Buenos Ayres and the Brazils ; in the latter country it was 
discovered by Dr. Solander, growing as an epiphyte on the branches of trees near 
Rio Janeiro. Subsequent botanical travellers have also met with it in various other 
localities, and the importations have been frequent. 
Our drawing of this charming little species was made from a specimen which 
flowered in the stove of Messrs. Henderson, Pine-apple Place, Edgware Road. The 
plant was very small, had a ball-like appearance, with its richly-coloured flowers 
bristling from every side, and was growing suspended from the rafter. The specimen 
is but an inch-and-a-half long before the flower-scape appears, and this does not 
extend three inches farther, and is of the richest crimson, both stem and bracts, 
and the tiny flowers are of a fine purple blue. 
