BROMELIA, in botany, so named in memory of Olaus Brothel, a Swede, a genus of the Hexandria Monogynia class and order. Natural order of Coronarix. Bromelix, Jussieu. Essential character : calyx trifid, superior; petals three, and a nectareous scale at the base of each ; ber ry three-celled. There are nine species, one of which, B. ananas, or pine-apple, is a fruit now so well known in Europe, and so much esteemed for the richness of its flavour, is produced from an herba ceous plant which has leaves somewhat resembling those of aloe, and for the most part serrate on their edges, but much thinner and not so succulent as those of the aloe. The fruit resembles, in shape, the cone of some species of the pine-tree, from which it takes the vulgar name of pine-apple.
Where this plant is a native is difficult to determine, but it is probably an indi genous plant of Africa, where it grows in uncultivated places in great plenty. There are many varieties of this fruit, and if the seeds were sown frequently in their native country, the varieties would probably be as numerous as those of ap ples and pears in Europe. The queen
pine is the most common, but the sugar loaf is much preferable, the fruit being larger and better flavoured; it is easily distinguished from the others by its leaves having purple stripes on their inside the whole length ; it is also of a paler colour when ripe, inclining to straw colour. This was brought from Brazil to Jamaica, where it is esteemed far beyond the others. The smooth pine is preserved by some curious persons for the sake of va riety, but the fruit is not worth eating. The green pine is at present the most rare in Europe ; it has been esteemed the best sort known, by some of the most cu rious persons in America, many of whom have thrown out all the others to cultivate this only.
Those who wish to understand the pro pagation and culture of the pine-apple may consult Martyn's Botanical Dictionary with much advantage.