=D.= VELLOSIEÆ (_Vellosia_, _Barbacenia_); stem woody, usually dichotomously branched, with terminal, single flowers; it bears numerous aerial roots which pierce the leaves and surround the stem. Stamens often (by splitting) 6–18. High table-lands of S. America and S. Africa. =E.= AGAVEÆ. Very similar to the Bromeliaceæ both in their distribution (nearly all American) and in external appearance. They appear as gigantic bulbous plants with perennial, aerial, generally short stem, and perennial, large, lanceolate or linear, stiff, thick, and often thorny leaves, which form a large rosette; after the course of several (8–20) years the terminal inflorescence is developed, which is 10–12 m. high, paniculate, and freely branched. Before the inflorescence expands, a large quantity of sugar-containing sap is collected from _A. americana_ by removing the terminal bud; this on distillation yields “pulque,” the national drink of Mexico. After flowering the entire shoot dies, but the subterranean lateral shoots survive and reproduce the plant.--_Agave americana_, etc.; _Fourcroya_; _Polianthes tuberosa_ (Tuberose; Central America). DISTRIBUTION. The 650 species are chiefly natives of S. Africa and S. America. _Clivia_, _Hæmanthus_, _Amaryllis_ are from the Cape; _Narcissus_ from S. Europe, whence many species have been introduced; _Galanthus_ and _Leucojum_ are especially from S. and Central Europe, and from the Caucasus. USES, few, except as ornamental plants: _Galanthus nivalis_; _Leucojum_; _Narcissus pseudonarcissus_, _N. poeticus_, _N. jonquilla_, _N. tazetta_, etc.; _Amaryllis_, _Alstrœmeria_, _Eucharis_, _Crinum_, _Vallota_, etc. The vascular bundles of the various species of _Agave_ (_Agave rigida_, var. _sisalana_, sisal hemp,) are used for cordage, etc. Order 6. =Bromeliaceæ.= The flowers are hypogynous, epigynous or semi-epigynous; the perianth is divided into _calyx_ and _corolla_; stamens 6. The fruit is a capsule or berry with many seeds. Endosperm _mealy_, embryo small, at the edge of the endosperm, but not enclosed by it. [Illustration: FIG. 310.--_Aechmea miniata._] [Illustration: FIG. 311.--Multiple-fruit of _Ananassa sativa_.]